Vampire Smile
by WorkshopsSecret1111
Summary: He helped her forget about her mom being gone. She helped him forget what he really was. What starts as casual quickly snowballs with the return of an insane witch and a huge misunderstanding. When all is straightened out, can they ever be more? Or will they both be too gone to ever be happy? Steroline, Delena, Kennett, Alaric/Jo, Caroline/Enzo friendship, Rated M, Extremely AU
1. Chapter 1: Vampire Smile

**So this is my story. I have written about four chapters of it... I have written for this website before, a long time ago, but never the Vampire Diaries. This story is extremely AU, so keep that in mind. I hope this is read and I would love feed back to make myself a better writer.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

**Chapter 1: Vampire Smile**

_**Baby I need a friend  
but I'm a vampire smile, you'll meet a sticky end  
I'm here trying not to bite your neck  
but it's beautiful and I'm gonna get  
so drunk on you and kill your friends.  
You'll need me and we can be obsessed  
And I can touch your hair and taste your skin  
the ghosts won't matter 'cause we'll hide in sin**_

She didn't know where he was from. She didn't know his middle name, or if he had a big family. She didn't know anything about him, and she wanted to keep it that way.

They sat two rows apart from each other in college algebra. To an outsider, one would never know they knew who the other was. They kept it under wraps, no one picking up the subtle glances she never realized she made. Or the fact he checked the clock every five minutes. A clock that happened to be right behind her.

She refused to get close to him. She refused to get close to anyone because as a vampire, you could not get close to people. She watched too many people die, and she was done feeling that overwhelming pain. He was a release from the pain of her mom being gone. She still could not get used to not calling her every day. She still forgets and calls anyway only remembering when her mom's voicemail picks up leaving her broken and in tears. Part of her wishes she could turn off her humanity. She knew it could be done. Enzo had done it before after he had lost his wife. He said he still cannot believe he was able to turn it back on. He explained that while having your humanity be gone made it easy to kill and not care, it made you want to. He said it takes a toll on you wishing you could jump off the nearest cliff and not live the fall. She didn't want that.

So Caroline Forbes found other outlets to forget the pain. And Stefan Salvatore was a good outlet. No strings, no questions. Nothing. Just like she wanted. He never would know what she was, and she would not feel the pain anymore.

If only she knew there was so much more to it all.

* * *

She was late to class-once again. She had to feed and had a hard time finding anything to snack on before class. All she wanted to do was go vamp speed across campus, but there were too many people around, and she couldn't compel them all. She wouldn't do that anyway. She hated compelling people, which is why she did not compel Stefan to forget her after their first tryst. She figured she could just forget about him. It was not like she would see him again. Of course, he ended up being in her class, but she still did not do anything. She couldn't. She had been compelled before. It wasn't fun.

She skidded into class just as another girl was and crashed into her. The girl's books dropped to the ground and papers flew everywhere. Caroline instantly started grabbing papers frantically apologizing, "I'm so sorry. I was not watching where I was going,"

The brunette shyly smiled, "Don't worry about it. We were both not looking,"

"You're Elena, right?" Caroline asked once they had stood up and made their way into the class. She had seen the girl around campus. She was definitely new and was always with an older guy. And when Caroline said older, she meant she knew he was probably in his late twenties but could pass as nineteen if he really wanted to.

"Yup, Elena Gil- Salvatore." She stuttered through her name making Caroline raise an eyebrow at her. "I just got married. Still not used to it," With that, she made her way to her seat sitting right behind Stefan.

Caroline was dumbfounded. She felt a lump in her throat and wanted to crawl into a hole. Not because she liked Stefan and was hurt to know he was married, but because she could potentially be ruining a marriage because of her own selfish needs. Elena was such a nice girl and had no idea her husband was a scumbag who ran around on her.

All class she watched them trying to put it together. They laughed and joked, but they never really acted married. What was she saying? She didn't know how married couples were supposed to act like.

Her parents were so different than other couples that she didn't know what a functional couple looked like.

At the end of class, Elena left Stefan only whispering, "I'll see you at home," as a goodbye.

Well, now Caroline knew they were married. She just said she would see him at home. Now she was so mad at Stefan she could feel her vampirism spilling out. She tried to keep calm as she passed his desk to drop off her classwork.

"Are you stopping by tonight?" he asked not looking up from his book.

Caroline glared at him wanting to say so many things, but only muttered a no before scurrying out of the class.

* * *

"He's married, Bonnie," Caroline snapped into the phone to her best friend.

"Who?"

"Stefan! He is married and I ruined a marriage and she is like really nice and I am going to hell."

When she had finally gotten off campus, she ran to the woods and called her best friend. She was pacing back and forth trying her hardest to stay calm. She always came to the woods to find answers and peace. She had even before she became a vampire.

She also always went to Bonnie Bennett. They had known each other since kindergarten. After Caroline turned, she found it hard to tell Bonnie, but once she did she learned her best friend was a witch. Though they are supposed to be natural enemies, Bonnie grew to accept Caroline for who she was. Bonnie began to accept other vampires. Even going as far as falling in love with one.

Bonnie and Caroline decided to move states away from home to go to school since neither had family to miss. They packed their things and moved into a small apartment and hoped for the best. Of course there were months where they had too much month at the end of their money and of course Enzo helped them out.

"What do you mean he is married?"

"I mean I literally ran into his wife, and she is in my math class, and then she said goodbye, and he had the audacity to ask me if I was coming over." Caroline kicked a small tree making it crack and shake, leaves falling all around her.

"Care, you are rambling."

"Sorry," she mumbled, "I'm just freaking out. I might start hyperventilating,"

"Can vampires hyperventilate?" Bonnie asked conversationally.

"We are about to find out. Bonnie, I am ruining a marriage,"

"Don't you think it is weird he would ask you over if he was married? Wouldn't he want to go your house?"

Bonnie was always the voice of reason and this time was no different. Caroline stopped pacing and started to rethink things. "You're right, but it doesn't change the fact they have the same last name."

"Maybe they are brother and sister."

"She said she just got married and she wasn't used to saying her new last name, Salvatore."

Bonnie sighed, "Caroline, you can't jump to conclusions about these sort of things. You should probably just talk to him. If he is, then you stop all contact with him. You didn't know he was married, and now that you know, you won't continue seeing him."

"You're right. I will politely ask him if he is."

* * *

"You know it is one thing to sleep with someone casually and not have any regrets, but it is completely different when one of them is married," she hissed the next day after class.

Stefan's eyes went wide, and she knew she had caught him. "You're married?"

He is ridiculous. She had a class with his wife as well as him, and he was going to act like he was innocent. "No, you are."

He smirked and even gave a slight chuckle making Caroline's blood boil. "I'm not married."

"Your wife is in this class." She threw her arms out in the air completely baffled by the man in front of her. She was disgusted by him.

"That's not my wife."

"Then why else does she have your last name, and said she just got married, and said she would see you at home yesterday?" She rambled on not realizing she had slipped up. Elena had only whispered her goodbye, and no one could probably have heard it.

"How did you hear her say that?" He asked cocking his head to the side.

"Not the point, you cheater."

Stefan shook his head at her deciding he would just put her out of her misery. He could tell the blonde was having a moral dilemma afraid she had ruined a marriage. "She's my sister in law. She and my brother just got married and moved here."

Caroline felt her cheeks start to turn an embarrassing shade of red. "Oh,"

"You think I would cheat on my wife?" He asked slightly peeved she thought so low of him. Sure, he wasn't the greatest person, but if he was married then he would be married to a woman he truly loved, and he would never cheat on her.

"You cheated on Samantha," she rebutted.

"We dated for literally one week. It was a little different."

She sighed, crossing her arms tight across her chest. "I'm sorry I jumped to any conclusions,"

"Don't worry about it. I get that it seems fishy. Especially since my brother is older so all you see is me and a girl with the same name."

She shifted her weight to the one leg. "How much older is he?"

"He is eight years older than her." Caroline's lips formed an 'o' shape in surprise. She didn't know much about Elena, but the shy girl didn't seem the type to marry someone eight years older than her. "Works out he doesn't look it, and she doesn't act it."

Caroline nodded at his words thinking of a reason to leave. She needed to be meeting up with Bonnie to help her with some spells. Bonnie was slowly becoming stronger, and she needed someone there to help her. Bonnie felt like something bad was going to happen, and Caroline needed to be prepared. Of course, she could not tell Stefan this.

"I need to go." _Really, that's the best you could come with?_ She mentally berated herself.

"You want to come by at some point?" he asked. It wasn't a clingy sort of question. He asked in a way that made him seem totally uninterested. Like her answer had no effect on him because he could go find anyone else if he wanted.

"I can't. I have to help a friend with something." She stumbled through the words not really knowing how to explain herself.

He shrugged, "I will see you Friday then."

She nodded and gave a weak smile before watching him walk out the door.

* * *

Caroline watched Bonnie chant words she didn't understand. She felt like Bonnie was doing too much too quickly and it bothered her. She had voiced these opinions before, but Bonnie shrugged her off. Bonnie knew she could stop if it got too much. At least that is what she told Caroline, but it still made Caroline worried for her best friend. She didn't understand what Bonnie was so tense about. They hadn't had to deal with any evildoers in quite some time. Bonnie was so tight lipped about it all that Caroline had no idea what was going on or even the questions to ask.

After Bonnie stopped her chanting, she started to sway back and forth. Caroline was across the room in no time at all (literally, considering she was a vampire), catching her best friend and sitting her in the closest chair.

"Take a break, Bonnie."

Bonnie for once agreed with Caroline. "There is a lot of chatter on the other side,"

Caroline raised an eyebrow, "The other side? What about?"

"Well from what Kol says, there is a boy. A strange, insane boy and this boy could kill us all."

**Baby you need to leave  
cause I'm getting drunk on your noble deeds  
It doesn't matter that they don't get done  
when I feel this cold they're like the fucking sun**

**Baby I need a friend**  
**but I'm a vampire smile, you'll meet a sticky end**  
**I'm here trying not to bite your neck**  
**but it's beautiful and I'm gonna get**

**so drunk on you and kill your friends.**  
**You'll need me and we can be obsessed**  
**And I can touch your hair and taste your skin**  
**the ghosts won't matter 'cause we'll hide in sin**

**Baby you have a choice**  
**cause you burn my ears with your magic voice**  
**I'm a paper doll, you can tear me up**  
**We'll be the broken lovers with the poison cup**  
**And we'll draw in breaths like we don't have air**  
**Oh god, look at me, don't you ever care**  
**that I'm dying in the cupboard underneath the stairs?**  
**Steps stamp on above my head**

**Baby you're cruel to me**  
**but you see I love it when you make me plead**  
**I want a scar that looks just like you**  
**'till then I gotta learn to be a wiser fool**

**Baby you need to leave**  
**and I know you know**  
**that's why you keep ignoring me**  
**because if you don't**  
**gonna run me down, let myself go**

**By: Kyla La Grange**

**So there it is. I will try to update the next chapter whenever my husband gets around to editing it for me.**

**Till then, Cheers and smiles all around. **


	2. Chapter 2: Sex

**Thank you for all of the follows! That makes me happy! Well, here is chapter 2. I hope y'all enjoy it!**

**Also, did anyone watch The Vampire Diaries last night? Ugh, they're killing me. I love it though.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 2: Sex**

_**And this is how it starts  
Take your shoes off in the back of my van  
Yeah my shirt looks so good,  
When it's just hanging off your back  
And she said, "Use your hands and my spare time—  
We've got one thing in common, it's this tongue of mine."  
She said**_**  
**

"Please tell me you have not been contacting the other side so you can talk to your dead boyfriend." Caroline eyes narrowed at her best friend. She couldn't be that stupid.

"Is that all you took from what I said? This boy could kill everyone just cause he is bored," Bonnie was taken aback by Caroline's reaction.

"And Kol is different how?" Caroline retorted.

"Like you have room to talk, Mrs. I Slept With Klaus And Liked It." Bonnie glared back standing toe to toe with her best friend.

"That was one time and I said it would never happen again. Now back to the subject at hand, why are you talking to your homicidal dead boyfriend on the other side?"

Bonnie shrugged sadly. "I missed him. And at first that was all it was. I did it to see him, but then he started telling me about this kid, and I'm scared for us Caroline." Bonnie looked truly frightened. She knew it was stupid, and it had been months since she lost Kol, but she wasn't ready to let go of him and she was glad because if she had not made contact with him then she would not have known about this boy witch.

Caroline sighed and gave Bonnie a tight hug, "I know you miss him—and we will figure out the lunatic boy. You should have told me about you seeing Kol though,"

"I knew you would tell me to stop."

"Well, you weren't wrong. How are you supposed to move on if you keep seeing him?" Caroline tried not offending her best friend.

"But what if I can bring him back?"

Caroline pulled away from Bonnie with wide eyes, "You know you can't do that."

"Why not? I'm stronger now. I could do it."

"It has nothing to do with being strong enough. His death killed hundreds possibly thousands of people because of it. Who knows what would happen if he came back?"

Caroline knew Bonnie loved Kol and would do anything to bring him back, but that was playing with fire. Kol was an original meaning all vampires in his blood line died when he did. If Bonnie brought him back, it could possibly bring back those people.

"I know it is stupid, but if you had the chance to bring your mom back—"

"That is completely different." Caroline felt her walls start to shoot up around her. The mere thought of her mom made her start getting emotional. Sometimes being a vampire really sucked. She hated how heightened her emotions could be.

"Is it?"

Caroline shook her head needing to get away from Bonnie before she said anything really mean. "You aren't thinking clearly, Bonnie. I'm not having this conversation with you. You aren't bringing him back,"

"You aren't my mother, Caroline," Bonnie spat.

"No, but I am a vampire, and I have been for some time, so I know that bringing back a dead _original _isn't a good idea. Take your heart out of this equation and you would see how idiotic this is, Bon."

Caroline started her way towards the door. "What about psychotic boy witch wanting to kill everyone?"

"I'll deal with it later," Caroline muttered slamming the door.

* * *

She knew it was late, but she knew he would answer. It seemed like he never slept. She knew he used her about as much as she used him, and she had gotten calls at two a.m. with him slurring how bad his day was.

She sat in her car wondering if she wanted to go in or not. She shouldn't be dependent on someone else to help her forget her problems, but it wasn't like she could really have any consequences from it. No diseases or pregnancies, so why not? What was really stopping her?

_Self-dignity?_

She sent a quick text asking if he was awake. She didn't receive a text back, but instead she watched as his bedroom lights flicked on and as if a chain reaction, the lights in the stairway and foyer flicked on consecutively. Even with this, it did not come close to lighting up the large house. He said it was once a boarding house of some sort. She walked up the sidewalk to find him leaning against the door. He gave her a small smile. So small it could be considered a smirk, but it wasn't condescending. It was almost sympathetic.

She didn't want his sympathy though.

She didn't hesitate to push her lips against his. She sighed against his soft lips, running her fingers through his thick hair. He wrapped his strong arms around her tiny waist pulling her flush against him.

"Bad day?" he whispered against her lips. She nodded.

With that there was no more talking—he picked her up, her legs instantly wrapping around him, his tongue pushing through her lips to meet hers. She wasn't quite sure why she kept coming back to Stefan or even, why he felt the need to come back to her.

Maybe because there was no awkwardness as he laid her down onto his soft bed and slowly started to pull her skinny jeans down her legs. Maybe because without fail every time she huffs in frustration when she can't get his pants unbuttoned. Maybe it was because when he pressed his naked body against hers and slipped himself inside her, she didn't need to say what he needed to do. Maybe because she sighed in happiness they once again were connected. Maybe it was because it did not have to be loud screams, rather quiet in takes of breaths and raspy moans.

But just maybe it was because when it was all said and done, and they had both found the release they were looking for, she didn't need to ask if she could stay. Her flipping over was enough for him to know. He rolled away from her as if they were strangers sharing a bed and instantly fell asleep.

And that was when Caroline silently let tears fall from her eyes. Stefan made the pain go away, but once he was asleep, she had all the time to think of her mom and how much she dreadfully missed her. She even missed annoying Kol though she would never admit. They had only died months apart from each other. Her mom from a brain tumor. Something that vampire blood couldn't save her from. Kol from a pissed off enemy of Klaus. It wasn't fair Kol had to lose his life because of Klaus' decisions, but it was life. Life wasn't fair.

Caroline was realizing being a vampire didn't save her from the downward spiral of depression and that terrified her.

* * *

"Whose car was that last night?" Damon asked his wife as he ripped open a blood bag.

"It was Caroline's," Elena responded taking a bite of her cereal.

Damon looked around his face asking the question before he did "Who is Caroline?"

"She and Stefan take part in activities together."

"Sex. They take part in sex. Who would have thought my baby brother would have a fuck buddy."

Elena glared at him for being so crass. Damon shrugged slurping down his blood. "She a vampire?"

"I think Stefan would have mentioned that so I am going to say no."

"Great, so we have to hide all the blood." He grumbled, grabbing a mug and squeezing the rest of the blood into the cup saying #1 BROTHER.

Damon had bought it for himself.

"She already left so you need not to worry," Elena explained as she scribbled away at the math problem she was doing wrong. She was going on sixty eight and still could not figure out simple algebra.

"You need help?" Damon asked, leaning over her.

"No, I think I got it. It helps when you write the problem down right," she muttered, finishing it the right way and closing the book.

"I met her. She seems really nice," Elena said getting them back on topic.

"Nice? My brother doesn't need a nice human girl. That never works out," he grumbled.

"Hey, I was once a nice human girl,"

"Yeah, like fifty years ago. Now you are my hot, vampire wife," Damon smirked, leaning down to give her warm kiss on cold lips.

"I love you," she smiled.

"Ditto, babe."

* * *

Stefan awoke to a lonely bed. She never stayed all the way through the night, so he wasn't surprised to find her side empty.

_It's not her side_.

She wasn't the first girl he took to this bed. No, that number was rather high. Of course, it would be for a man who had been alive as long as he had. He was used to having casual flings, but he had never had one go on as long as the one with Caroline Forbes.

He knew they were using each other. You don't call someone in the middle of the night because you wanted to talk. No, you did it to forget about all the bad thoughts running through your mind. Caroline seemed to have bad thoughts a lot. He never pushed her to talk because they weren't friends. They just liked the intimate company of one another. He would hear her cry whenever they had finished having sex, and he felt like he had done something wrong to her. Many times, he had thought to just leave her alone, but she always came back.

Caroline knew how to keep her walls up. She wasn't a cold person. She was actually a very sweet girl and was extremely optimistic, but it seemed rather forced. Maybe she felt the need to continue to be the girl she once but was no longer that girl.

She was rather selfless. She seemed to put everyone need's above her own. She was five seconds from castrating him when she had thought Elena was his wife.

Caroline was one of a kind. She was so strange, yet she seemed so sad. Stefan was an extremely aloof individual who very rarely showed emotion or even interest towards another human. Being alive for so long, you get tired of watching people go in and out of your life, and soon it becomes easier to become the brooding one who always looks annoyed.

Of course, he wish he could find someone like Damon had found Elena. They seemed to be happy. Hell, they even got married after fifty years of being together.

_I guess they wanted to make sure it was true love. _

No, Stefan wasn't bitter that he had yet to find someone to help through their problems or to hold when they were sad. Caroline could be that person if it wasn't for the fact she was human. He could see himself actually having a future with her, but he wasn't about to get attached just to watch her grow old die. Or worse, realize he was a monster and leave him.

* * *

"How would I know my voicemail password? I never set it up," Caroline growled, slamming her phone down rather annoyed. For months now, her phone had been popping up asking for a password. It had caused a few problems because she was sure people were leaving her voice mails.

"What are you ranting on about now?" The accented voice floated into her ears, and Caroline felt the smile envelop her.

"Enzo!" She jumped into his awaiting arms, and he squeezed her tightly.

"How is my favorite little sister doing?" He grinned putting her back on her own two feet.

Caroline shrugged, "I have had better days,"

"It gets easier, I promise," he whispered to her. He knew Liz's death was taking quite a toll on Caroline. He had mourned for the woman for months, so he could only imagine the pain Caroline was going through.

Caroline nodded finding comfort in the man in front of her. He had always been so good to her. Ever since they met, ten years before, he had felt an urge to protect the young blonde. Of course then, she was just a baby vampire. Now she had blossomed into a well- rounded adult, attending college for the first time in her nearly thirty years of life.

"What are you doing here?" Caroline asked as she picked up her things from the picnic table and started to walk with Enzo.

"I figured I would come check up on you and Bonnie. You both have had a hard year."

"She wants to bring him back," Caroline muttered, confused when Enzo didn't look as appalled as she felt. "Why aren't you pitching a fit over this? You are the old, wise vampire—"

"I'm not that old," Enzo grimaced.

"Be serious, Enzo, she can't bring him back."

"Well, actually, she can. She called me not to long back asking if it was possible, and it is."

"You're telling me that she can bring back a dead original with no consequences?" Caroline wasn't convinced.

"Yes, the only problem with this is by opening the 'portal' to the other side then she can potentially let Kai free."

Caroline's eyebrow raised. "Kai being the insane witch?"

"Precisely. If she can bring Kol out without also bringing Kai out then yes, she can bring back an original with no consequences."

"I guess it makes sense why she has been trying to get stronger." Caroline was shocked to learn Kol could potentially come back. She felt bad for the things she had said to Bonnie the night before. "Does Klaus know?"

"How do you think I figured it out? He has been hell bent on bringing Kol back. He seems to think it his fault Kol is no longer with us."

"Which it is," Caroline added. It was no secret that if Klaus had just not made so many damn enemies his brother would still be alive.

"Caroline," Enzo started, concerned by the looks being sent his way.

"Hmm?" Caroline was texting Bonnie a quick "I am sorry" before her next class.

"Who is this boy glaring at me from across the way?"

Caroline looked up from her phone only to lock eyes with Stefan. "Stefan isn't glaring that is just his face,"

"Well, how do you know his faces?" Enzo gave her a pointed look.

Caroline instantly blushed and refused to make eye contact with the man she saw as a big brother.

"Oh, Caroline," Enzo sighed rubbing his hands over his face.

"I am lonely, okay?"

"So join a book club."

Caroline bit her lip. "He helps me not think about her, okay?" she whispered.

"That will only work for so long. You can't just forget about your mom, Care." It was tough love. The only kind he knew.

She never talked about her mom, and it was a mistake to even think about her. The tears began to cloud her vision, and she instantly took off away from Enzo who called after her.

* * *

He knew he shouldn't have been listening in on their conversation, but he couldn't help it. He felt like he was intruding on her privacy, but he wanted to know who the man was. He wasn't jealous, not really, just curious. Maybe the man had some insight to why Caroline Forbes was so closed off.

He struggled within himself not to listen, but before he knew it her light voice flooded his ears.

"_Which it is."_

"_Caroline." _Stefan watched the older man harden his eyes on him. Stefan continued to look on as if he hadn't noticed. He continued to watch Caroline play around with her phone.

"_Hmm?" _She looked up at him with such admiration that Stefan's eyes hardened. He never got that kind of look from her. She didn't admire him. She pretty much admitted she wouldn't be shocked if he went as low to cheat on his hypothetical wife.

"_Who is this boy glaring at me from across the way?"_

He wasn't glaring. Okay, maybe he was slightly glaring. Only because he had known Caroline Forbes for eight months, and she had never mentioned this character.

_That would require talking. _

They talked. When it was needed. Mostly it consisted of see you later at my house or the occasional good night.

Caroline looked at him. She sent a very small smile towards him. Anyone but him wouldn't have noticed. He knew to look for those kinds of smiles from her.

"_Stefan isn't glaring that is just his face." _She tore her eyes away from him back towards the tall British man.

His face was not always set into a glare. It was just his thinking face.

"_Well, how do you know his faces?" _Stefan slightly smirked when she refused to make eye contact with the man.

Stefan slightly turned his body, not wanting her to see his expression. If she noticed him smirking, she might wonder why. How do you explain to someone who was out of ear shot that you can hear her speaking?

"_Oh, Caroline." _He seemed aggravated with her. Not in a jealous way, Stefan concluded. More in a protective way. They looked nothing alike, and he was obviously not from this country, but maybe they were related.

"_I am lonely, okay?"_

She seemed extremely sad. Stefan sighed. He knew he was being used, but it still sucked to know it was because the other person was lonely. Especially when he had such a dapper personality.

He could actually hear his brother scoff at the thought.

"_So join a book club,"_

Caroline bit her lip. "_He helps me not think about her, okay?"_

Her. Who is her? Is that why she cries? A sister, a mother, a best friend?

"_That will only work for so long. You can't just forget about your mom, Care."_

Even from this far away, he could see Caroline starting to get upset_. _He all about shot up out of his seat to take care of her. He wasn't positive why, but he didn't like her sad and he knew he could help her be happy. Even if it was for a few minutes.

He assumed her mom had recently died. It was the only thing that really made sense in the grand scheme of things. He felt an ache in his chest as he thought of his own mother. She had died when he was rather younger and even after all this time, he could still clearly remember the heartache of her being gone. He missed her, even now. She was the greatest woman in his life and he did not take her death well.

He hid from her when she got sick. He found reasons to leave the house that he resided in even today. He could not bear to even look at her. As a young boy, he did not understand why she was leaving him. He did not want to lose her and he thought if he avoided her than the situation was not real.

One day, when he had come home from school, he learned from a bitter Damon that their father had sent her away. Stefan never got to say goodbye. He only got a letter of condolences after she had passed. Her death would always haunt him for as long as he lived. He wished for another day with her.

Watching Caroline wipe tears as she walked away from the man, he came to understand her. He had felt that pain that ripped at your heart and wouldn't leave you alone. The pain of never wanting to get close to another human in fear of that pain.

He finally understood Caroline Forbes and his chest ached to fix her. But he remembered clearly not wanting anyone to fix him. He wanted to stay broken. He didn't deserve to be happy after not giving his mother the love she deserved.

So he let her walk away because he knew he couldn't help her.

* * *

She sat in her class with her heads resting on folded arms. She had finished her work, but her old bat of the teacher would not let her leave for another twenty minutes. She could always fake an illness. Say she wasn't feeling well and needed to leave.

She could do that, but then Enzo would be looking for her. She didn't want to deal with him and his judgey little eyes. She shouldn't be judged. She was twenty eight years old, and if she wanted to have sex with someone she should be allowed. She didn't need her 'big brother' to reprimand her for it.

"Hey." Caroline glanced up to see Elena Salvatore giving her concerned eyes.

Caroline had learned the day before that she and Elena also had Political History together. They had not spoken since Caroline had completely embarrassed herself.

"You okay?" Elena asked.

Caroline gave a smile. Elena was a nice girl. She was extremely reserved much like Caroline and probably would make a good friend. It wasn't like Caroline had a lot of those.

"Oh, yeah, I just ran into my brother, and he is mad at me." Caroline wasn't sure why she told Elena this. Maybe she was tired of keeping everything in. She knew she could talk to Bonnie about it, but Bonnie had so much going on that she didn't want to bother her on such silly trifles.

"Oh yes, dreaded sibling fights."

"I'm assuming you have siblings?"

"I had a brother." Elena gave a sad smile.

"I'm sorry." Caroline felt awkward. She didn't mean to bring up Elena's dead brother.

_It isn't like you knew he was dead. _

"It was a long time ago."

Caroline gave a slight nod. Maybe Elena could help her with her mom. She seemed to be living her life and is happy.

The teacher muttered they were dismissed. Caroline gathered all her things and plucked up enough courage to follow Elena and ask her more questions.

"Can I ask you something?" Caroline caught up with and lightly grabbed Elena's arm.

Elena turned slightly confused but still nodded, "Sure,"

"This might be way too personal for someone you just met, but when he first died, did you feel terrible for…" Caroline didn't know how to continue. She struggled with the words to explain herself. Elena looked at her not knowing what to say. "Did it feel wrong to have days where you laughed? Or when you started to feel happy?"

Elena gave her a sympathetic smile and nodded, "Yeah, but being happy isn't disrespectful to them. It doesn't mean you don't love them for continuing your life. They never asked that of you."

Caroline gnawed on her lip not knowing what else to say.

"You look like you need someone to talk to. I am done with classes if you want to get lunch."

Caroline nodded gratefully towards the brunette.

* * *

"I had lunch with Caroline today."

Stefan looked over at his sister in law and squinted his eyes. "And I care, why?"

"Yes, honey, tell Stefan why he would care that you had lunch with his fuck buddy," Damon smirked from his seat at the kitchen bar.

"Don't call her that." Elena pointed her whisk at him making him hold his hands in defense.

"Since when are you two so buddy buddy?" Stefan asked her.

"Since today when she seemed like she needed someone to talk to."

Stefan went back to reading his book assuming the conversation was over. Damon decided that was his time to make his exit, "Well I am off to see Alaric about our witch problem."

"Bye, love you." Elena gave him quick peck, and once Damon was out of the house, she turned to look at Stefan.

"You need to be nice to her."

"I am nice to her," Stefan objected, sitting his book down, knowing she wasn't going to make it able for him to read for a while. He stood up and made his way into the kitchen and jumped up on the counter, looking into the bowl she was pouring ingredients in.

"She is in a vulnerable spot."

"I know. She just lost her mom."

"How did you know that?"

"I heard her talking to some guy about it."

Elena gave him a disapproving look. "You listened in on a private conversation between her and her brother?"

So it was her brother. That is a weird thought. Stefan wondered how that came about.

"I wanted to know who he was," Stefan shrugged.

"Doesn't mean you get to listen in on the poor girl. Maybe if you got to know her you would know she has a brother or that her mom just died."

Stefan looked down in shame. Elena always had a way for making him feel bad about his decisions. "There is no point getting to know her. That leads to me telling her what I am and her running away."

"Not true. She could accept it."

Stefan scoffed, "And then what? She gets older, I stay seventeen. That might raise some thoughts."

"I'm not saying go out and marry the girl. I'm saying get to know her. She might be understanding. I was."

Stefan chuckled, "You shut the door in my face and told me you were going to call the cops."

"Yes, but when I calmed down I accepted it."

"And then you left me for my brother."

Elena sighed, "Even if Damon was not around, we still wouldn't have worked out."

"I know," Stefan smiled, dipping his finger in the mixing bowl full of brownie batter, "I just like to give you a hard time,"

"I'm serious. Just get to know her. She could use a friend."

**And this is how it starts  
Take your shoes off in the back of my van  
Yeah my shirt looks so good,  
When it's just hanging off your back  
And she said, "Use your hands and my spare time—  
We've got one thing in common, it's this tongue of mine."  
She said  
She's got a boyfriend anyway**

**there's only minutes before I drop you off**  
**All we seem to do is talk about sex**  
**She's got a boyfriend anyway**  
**She's got a boyfriend anyway**

**I loved your friend when I saw his film**  
**He's got a funny face**  
**But I like that 'cause he still looks cool**  
**She's got a boyfriend anyway**  
**She's got a boyfriend anyway**

**Now we're on the bed in my room**  
**And I'm about to fill his shoes**  
**But you say no**  
**You say no**  
**Does he take care of you**  
**Or could I easily fill his shoes?**  
**But you say no**  
**You say no**

**And now we're just outside of town**  
**And you're making your way down**  
**She's got a boyfriend anyway**  
**She's got a boyfriend anyway**

**And I'm not trying to stop you love**  
**If we're gonna do anything we might as well just fuck**  
**She's got a boyfriend anyway**  
**She's got a boyfriend anyway**

**You've got your tongue pierced anyway**  
**You're in your high tops any day**  
**You're in your skinny jeans anyway**

**You and your fit friends anyway**  
**I'd take them all out any day**  
**They've all got backcombs anyway**  
**You've all got boyfriends anyway**

**By: The 1975**

**So there it is! Once again, I will upload once the next chapter has been edited.**

**Till then, Cheers and smiles all around**


	3. Chapter 3:Slow Dancing In a Burning Room

**Thank you for the reviews and the follows! I hope y'all enjoy this chapter! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**Chapter 3: Slow Dancing In a Burning Room**

_**Can't seem to hold you like I want to  
So I can feel you in my arms.  
Nobody's gonna come and save you,  
We pulled too many false alarms.**_

"What is so urgent that I had to leave—"

Jo cut Damon off, "Kai's back."

Damon stopped walking like he had ran into a wall. He turned to look at his best friend's wife who sat on the sofa rocking her infant daughter back and forth.

"Kai? As your insane twin brother who tried kill us ten years ago?"

Jo gave a tense smile. "The very one."

"Fuck," Damon growled. He couldn't stand Kai Parker. He was by the far the most sadistic person Damon had ever come in contact with. And he was Damon Salvatore. He himself could be rather sadistic.

"Try not to curse in front of Annabelle," Alaric remarked coming into the room with a mountain of books in his hands.

Damon looked at his best friend of sixty years. Never did he think when he met Alaric that he someday be a father. Then again, Alaric was a vampire when they first met, so of course he wouldn't think that. However, when Alaric crossed over the border then years ago and started once again relive his death, Jo saved him before he could die; thus making him a human once again.

"She is months old. She won't remember Uncle Damon saying bad things about her mom's psycho brother. I thought the other side had a tight lid on Kai."

Alaric sighed. "It did, it does. Kai is still there, but a witch has been contacting the other side and wants to let someone out."

"Kai?" Damon asked.

Alaric shook his head, "Turns out Kol Mikaelson is over there, and she wants to let him out."

Damon was at a loss of words. "Why would anyone want a dead Mikaelson back on this planet?"

Damon had never had the pleasure of meeting a Mikaelson who were better known as the Original Vampires, but the stories were enough to keep him away. He did too much stupid shit, that with luck, they would want him dead. It was best for him to stay away.

Kol was the youngest boy and was outright insane. He took a baseball bat and destroyed anything he came in contact with during the eighties because he was bored one night. He was an immature human who had no responsibilities, and as a vampire he was just idiotic. He did whatever he wanted because he knew he didn't have repercussions.

"We don't know. What we do know is that this witch is strong. She might be able to do it. The problem isn't Kol though. From what I understand, he hadn't made a scene in the ten years leading up to his death. The problem is that if the walls of the other side are weakened Kai can easily slip through, and if he gets out he will come after us. We are the ones that put him there," Jo explained patting Annabelle's back.

"So let's stop her."

Many years ago, if this situation arose, Damon wouldn't hesitate in just killing the witch and being done with it. That was before Elena. She had never killed another human which is a feat for a vampire. He had helped her through her transition and quickly realized he didn't want her to go on a killing spree like his old self. In wanting this, he understood she didn't want him killing people either. He learned to control himself and had not fed from a living human in half a century.

"We can't find her. She has hid herself pretty good," Alaric responded, aggravated with the whole situation.

"So what do we do? Sit and wait for Kai to just come back?" Damon asked.

"There isn't much we can do if we can't find her."

"Great. It was just by chance we beat him before. There is no way in hell we can do it again."

Damon was furious. He was so tired of this shit. He thought Kai was dead and gone. Now, he had to worry he was coming back and killing all the people he cared about.

All for Kol Mikaelson.

* * *

Bonnie Bennett was a powerful witch. She learned of her powers over eleven years ago, and she refined them to make her one of the best. She never thought about doing something as big as what she was thinking, but if it could bring Kol back she wanted to take the risk.

Maybe it was ridiculous for her to even try, but she didn't want to give up on him yet. He had done so much for her in the ten years they were together, and she couldn't just throw him aside like he was nothing. Especially since he shouldn't have died. He was protecting her. Klaus pissed off the wrong person and they came after her, his brother's witch. Kol was just making sure she wouldn't be hurt. Now she needed to protect him.

She would practice a harder spell each night, and she could feel the power simmering inside of her. She knew she could do it. She knew she could set him free. She just didn't know if she could do it without letting Kai free too.

Kol had explained to her how insane Kai was. He had slaughtered his entire family and to a Mikaelson that was the worse offense. The Mikaelson's had done some crazy things, and Klaus had daggered them all, but at the end of the day they were family and you don't slaughter your family.

Kol had the pleasure of meeting Kai on the other side. Kai in his demented mind thought he and Kol could team up and destroy everything together. Kol quickly made sure he thought Kai should rot in hell. He explained he would kill him if it wasn't for the fact he was already dead.

Kol didn't want to be set free because he didn't want Kai to be let free of his prison. Whoever put Kai in the other side assumed he would not be set free. They probably did not even think it was possible for someone to get out, but Bonnie was a powerful witch. Kai literally fed off power and if he knew Bonnie had the power to set him free he would hurt her to get the power she held, and Kol would rather be stuck in this hell then ever let someone get to Bonnie. It was what got him there in the first place.

* * *

Caroline sat alone as she picked at her lunch. She wasn't much hungry, but it gave her something to do until her next class. Bonnie dropped down in front of her with a sigh.

"Kol thinks it is a bad idea."

Caroline was surprised. She would think Kol would do anything to be alive again. "How bad is this Kai character if Kol thinks he should stay locked up?"

"Good point. I think I could beat him if he came through though," Bonnie explained, and Caroline shook her head.

"Do you want to take that chance? This guy sounds like bad news, Kol said so himself. Maybe you need to really think this through."

Bonnie narrowed her eyes, "I thought you were okay with this."

"No, I said I was sorry for how I acted. Look, Bon, if it was just Kol then I would say go for it, you deserve to be happy, but Kai is dangerous. He can't be set free and wreak havoc. You can't overlook that."

Bonnie sighed, "I know. I know. It was all so simple before this Kai character."

Caroline reached over and grasped Bonnie's hand, "I know, buddy. We will figure something out."

"Can I sit with y'all?" Caroline looked up to see Elena holding a plate of food.

"Totally, Bonnie, this is Elena Salvatore. Stefan's sister-in-law," Caroline clarified for her best friend. She hadn't really had a chance to clear up the whole Stefan and Elena mishap with Bonnie yet.

"Sister-in-law," Bonnie said slowly.

"The one and only—" Elena said, taking a seat, "wait, did you think that Stefan and I were married?"

Caroline gave an embarrassed nod.

"Oh wow, that makes so much more sense. Okay, no. Never. We dated a long—"

"You dated your husband's brother?" Bonnie asked.

Elena shut her mouth and pushed her hair behind her ear. "Uh, yeah, when I first met Stefan we dated, but he introduced me to Damon, and Stefan and I realized that we were so wrong for each other, and then Damon and I got really close—" Elena rambled trying to explain herself.

"I did not mean for that to come across so rude. I am just shocked y'all can live under one roof," Bonnie said.

"Oh yeah, we are good. No harm, no foul."

Caroline awkwardly sat there. So Elena and Stefan had dated. Well, that made things extremely awkward for her.

She saw Stefan walk by throwing something away, making eye contact with her. Caroline didn't want to see him at that moment, so she decided to make that her time to exit. "I need to go."

"Oh okay. I will see you at home," Bonnie said as Caroline leaned down to hug her.

Once she had walked away, Elena asked, "I take it y'all are close?"

"Yup. We have been best friends since we were born, pretty much. Our moms were friends, and after my parents died I moved in with her," Bonnie explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Bonnie shrugged. "I was young so it was easier. She, on the other hand, isn't taking her mom's death very well. I worry about her." Bonnie sighed.

"I understand that. She told me about her mom. I am sorry for that, too."

Bonnie thanked her. "Caroline is the only family I have left, and I hate to see her this way."

"Well, I was about as bad when I lost my brother, and it does get easier. She just needs to take it one day at a time and not keep it all bottled up."

Bonnie nodded in agreement, "You know, I think we will be good friends."

Elena smiled, "I think so too."

* * *

"Why are you avoiding me?"

Caroline turned in the empty hallway to look at Stefan. "Why are you following me?"

"I am not following you."

"I am not avoiding you," she retorted. Stefan looked around before pushing her slightly into the nearest classroom.

"Yes you are. You have been dodging me for two days now."

Caroline smirked, "Aww, have you missed me?"

Stefan rolled his eyes. "No."

He leaned in to capture her lips, but before he had the chance, she put her hand on his chest and pushed him slightly.

"Why didn't you tell me you and Elena dated?"

Stefan scrunched his nose. She always found this face rather cute. He only did it when he was truly confused, and it was a rare occurrence that Stefan Salvatore was confused. "Cause I didn't find it important to tell you."

"I think it is important to tell the girl you are having sex with that you have had sex with her friend."

Stefan cocked his head to the side. "A friend you have had for a week."

"I just think you should have told me."

"You know, sometimes I feel like you seek me out just to fight with someone," he muttered running his hands over his face.

There were times where they would go weeks without fighting. Then there were times when she was having a bad week so she found it necessary to pick a fight with him about everything. On these days, he avoided her.

"I don't seek you out. You came to me."

"And you turned it into an argument!" He raised his voice, making her glare at him.

"I was just making a statement." The last thing she wanted was to turn this into a fight. She just felt so awkward seeing him and Elena. She wasn't jealous, at least she didn't think she was. She just worried he was comparing her to Elena the whole time. Plus, he once told her of how he had been in love once, and she broke his heart. She feared that girl was Elena. "I don't want to fight, Stefan. I just feel awkward sitting there knowing she has had sex with you. I just wanted a heads up."

"Then here is your heads up. Yes, she and I dated. Yes, she and I had sex. We were in an actual relationship. Unlike us. So you don't really get to pass judgment for me not giving a list of my conquests to the girl I occasionally fuck."

Caroline was shocked by his anger. He had never really been mean to her before. She didn't think Stefan knew how to be mean. Of course, they had bickered, but he was never mean to her.

"You're a dick."

She stomped out of the room, slamming the door in the process, leaving an ashamed Stefan in her wake.

* * *

When he walked into math class, she was already there laughing it up with some frat boy tool. He didn't know why this angered him so much, but it did. He felt his blood boil as she pushed the boy's shoulder away flirtatiously. She didn't flirt with him. She didn't talk to him. She just yelled at him.

She only looked at him briefly as he moved passed her. He sat his homework on the front table before slumping in his chair. He chanced a glance back at her to find her leaning over, showing a problem to the boy. Of course, John he thinks his name is, found the inside of her shirt much more interesting. Stefan rolled his eyes. She probably thought she was actually helping.

He turned back in his seat determined to ignore her presence the rest of the class.

* * *

She hadn't even needed to look up to know he had entered the room. His smell was potent to her. She could pick it out easily in a room. She was still rather upset from their fight an hour before. He wasn't supposed to get to her, but he did and it bothered her.

He wasn't going to talk to her like that though. She deserved better than that, and he would be silly to think she would just let him take her to bed and then talk to her like some cheap skank.

She glanced up at him as he passed. His eyes mirrored her empty ones, and she sighed before turning back to Jake and helping him with his work.

Once her professor had begun lecture she couldn't keep her eyes off the back of Stefan's head. The girl next to her kept trying to ask him questions and was all buddy with him making her scoff.

She decided watching this girl flirt with him would just put her in a bad mood, so she turned back her attention to the lecture. She didn't know why she was jealous, but she was.

* * *

The girl beside him felt it was necessary to try to talk to him throughout the whole entire lecture. He found it rather annoying. Of course, he didn't need the lecture, he could figure it out without the professor, but he still found it disrespectful this girl was talking over the professor. It had always been a pet peeve.

When he heard Caroline scoff, he felt a smirk form on his lips. So she did get jealous.

_Of course she does. That's what led to the fight that took place just before class._

She always strained the rule that they did not care for each other, but he knew it would be impossible for them to have sex at least twice a week for eight months and not feel something for the other. He wasn't saying he was in love with the girl. He was just saying he didn't like the way he felt when she didn't want to speak to him or even when he hurt her. He denied it of himself long enough. He knew he cared about her. He would never tell her that, but he didn't mean to upset her. He just felt like she was always mad at him for the silliest things. Like the fact he had slept with Elena. It had been over fifty years ago. He couldn't tell her that though. In Caroline's mind, it probably seemed rather recent.

He didn't mean to upset her. If only he could explain himself.

* * *

It had been days since he had spoken to Caroline. She had been giving him the cold shoulder ever since their fight. He could feel himself on edge and wasn't just because he hadn't fed that day. Not since he went to help out Elena and Damon right before their wedding four months ago had he gone this long without her, and even those two weeks seemed long without her.

At least then he didn't have to see her every day. He sees her in class and around campus. With each passing day, he just wants to shove her in the nearest classroom. Making matters worse, he walked into his own house to her sitting there watching TV with Elena. He couldn't get away from her.

He kept telling himself he just wanted her for her body. That's why he was so annoyed. He hadn't had any sort of release in eight days, but he knew that wasn't it. He figured that out when the girl from his math class had seen him at Mystic Grill and tried to take him home. She landed a big wet one on him, and Stefan had to resist the urge of pushing her away. He even tried to fuck her, but he couldn't do it. Every time she moaned he just growled because it wasn't Caroline's voice.

He sounded like a girl.

But because of his annoyance with the situation he found himself at some random party Elena dragged him to. The only way she knew how to get him out was to tell him Caroline would be there.

So that was why he sat on a stool chugging beer after beer. He wanted to not think about Caroline Forbes and her womanly ways for a little bit. It might make him feel better, if he could just forget about her.

* * *

"Can you and Stefan kiss and make up? He is literally sulking all the time," Elena explained to her new friend.

Caroline glanced across the house at Stefan who seemed to be putting the drinks back pretty fast. "What do you mean make up? That would mean we are together."

Elena rolled her eyes, "I'm not saying y'all are. All I am saying is that you two have been pouting all week so whatever weird thing y'all have makes you all sad when it is not a thing."

"He is just cranky cause he isn't getting laid," Caroline muttered.

"Trust me, that isn't it."

"Well, then he shouldn't have been a jackass."

Elena sighed. She had already spoken to Stefan about the whole situation and she could see where he was coming. Of course, there were better ways he could have said it.

"Yes, what he said was mean, but you need to see it from his point of view. He and I were so long ago that even I forget we were together. So of course he would be taken aback when a girl who he has been messing around with starts asking about a complicated relationship," Elena defended her brother-in-law. Caroline sighed, looking back over at Stefan. She didn't want to admit she missed him, but she would be lying if there were times in the last eight months where she would make up reasons to go see him.

_You don't like him Caroline. You know that you can't._

"You understand y'all have been a thing longer than he and I were even together."

Caroline looked back at Elena with a questioning glance. "Really?"

"Yup. Plus, maybe he said it cause he wants more," Elena suggested, and Caroline laughed.

"Trust me, Stefan and I would never work like that."

_Who are you trying to convince?_

"If you say so."

* * *

"Dance with me."

Caroline cut her eyes over Elena's head to see Jake standing with a PBR in hand. His free hand had come to rest on Elena's hip. Caroline assumed he was speaking to a peeved Elena, but he was looking smugly at Caroline.

She had helped him in math class to be nice because she actually understood what was being taught. Now, she regretted her decision because Jake was proving to be the average, hormonal tool.

"Me?" Caroline asked, feeling a cringe run up her back at the idea.

Jake's smug face twisted into a conceded smirk, "No babe. Mysterious new girl here." His eyes slid over to Elena who gripped his hand tightly and moved away from her personal space. If it was up to her she would have held it a little stronger than a human girl physically could, but she knew better than that.

Caroline's head cocked to the side at the mention of the word 'babe.' Not even Stefan called her that.

"No, thank you," Elena politely smiled.

"Why not?"

Elena gave Caroline a shocked look. "Other than the fact I am married, I do not want to."

"Married, huh?"

By this point, Caroline had made eye contact with Stefan, hoping maybe he could get Jake away from Elena who looked to be two seconds away from punching Jake.

Stefan seemed to have noticed the SOS because he had pushed himself away from the counter and shuffled slowly over to the trio.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mine," Jake tried to reason.

Stefan clapped his hand down on Jake's shoulder and squeezed tightly. "Trust me, buddy. He would."

Jake shrugged Stefan's arm off. They might have classes together making them acquaintances, but not close enough for Stefan to tell him what he could and could not do. "Well I don't see him here, Stefan, and I don't think it is you, so just move along."

"Well," Stefan mimicked, "my big brother could easily be the scariest person you could meet, and he taught me how to handle pricks like you, so why don't you leave my sister alone because you definitely want to deal with me rather than him."

"Fine. Caroline?" Jake growled.

Caroline scoffed, but Stefan answered. "Leave her alone, too."

"I think she can answer for herself."

"Yeah, Stefan, I can say no all by myself," Caroline deadpanned.

Stefan gave Caroline an amused look. "What is your problem? You were all but throwing yourself at me in class, and yet now you have a chance to open your—" Stefan didn't allow anyone to hear the rest of his sentence, because he had cut him off with a punch to the jaw.

"Stefan!" Caroline and Elena yelled simultaneously as Jake skittered off.

"He shouldn't talk to you like that," Stefan grunted, pushing through the crowd and away from the party. With all the bodies and heaters, the cold had yet to get to him, but now by himself the bitter January air hit his face harshly.

Caroline ran out after him as she pulled her coat on. "Stefan!"

She chased after him and, as she closed distance, she grabbed out at him. "Why did you hit him?"

"He was annoying me. You shouldn't allow people to say things like that," he snapped at her.

"Oh, so only you can?" She glared, crossing her arms tight across her chest.

"I'm sorry for what I said. I was mad, but it doesn't change the fact you can't allow people to treat you like that."

"Why?"

"Because you are better than that, Caroline! How low do you think of yourself?"

"Do not come in here all high and mighty. You are just as fucked up as I am, and you know it!" she yelled shoving a finger into his chest.

"Of course I am. Why else would I continue this farce if I was stable?" Stefan threw his arms roughly out towards Caroline.

"It's not a farce," she whispered.

"You use me to not think about all the things that make you cry after we are done. You have sex with me so you don't have to be alone,"

"So what do you get out of it?"

Stefan shook his head. "I don't know. I'm going home."

"Fine. Go. It isn't like I care,"

Stefan gave a slow nod, "Yeah, whatever."

He turned to walk away from her, and she felt this overwhelming need to make him stay. "Stefan," she whispered, grabbing his jacket.

"What?" He snapped annoyed spinning around only to have Caroline's lips attach to his.

Stefan didn't hesitate in pulling her closer by her coat. Caroline grabbed onto his hair, clutching it tightly in fear he would reject her. She wasn't sure what she was doing, but she wasn't ready for him to walk away from her. Not yet.

**It's not a silly little moment,  
It's not the storm before the calm.  
This is the deep and dying breath of  
This love that we've been working on.**

**Can't seem to hold you like I want to**  
**So I can feel you in my arms.**  
**Nobody's gonna come and save you,**  
**We pulled too many false alarms.**

**We're going down,**  
**And you can see it too.**  
**We're going down,**  
**And you know that we're doomed.**  
**My dear,**  
**We're slow dancing in a burning room.**

**I was the one you always dreamed of,**  
**You were the one I tried to draw.**  
**How dare you say it's nothing to me?**  
**Baby, you're the only light I ever saw.**

**I'll make the most of all the sadness,**  
**You'll be a bitch because you can.**  
**You try to hit me just to hurt me**  
**So you leave me feeling dirty**  
**Because you can't understand.**

**We're going down,**  
**And you can see it too.**  
**We're going down,**  
**And you know that we're doomed.**  
**My dear,**  
**We're slow dancing in a burning room.**

**Go cry about it - why don't you?**  
**Go cry about it - why don't you?**  
**Go cry about it - why don't you?**

**My dear, we're slow dancing in a burning room,**  
**Burning room,**  
**Burning room,**  
**Burning room,**  
**Burning room.**

**Don't you think we oughta know by now?**  
**Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?**  
**Don't you think we oughta know by now?**  
**Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?**  
**Don't you think we oughta know by now?**  
**Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?**  
**Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?**  
**Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?**  
**Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?**  
**Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?**

**By: John Mayer**

**I hope y'all enjoy this! I guess let me know if you did!**

**I will have the next chapter up at some point this week!**

**Till then, Cheers and Smiles All Around.**


	4. Chapter 4: Let Her Go

**Thank you for all the reviews and what not! It makes me happy! So who is excited for next week's episode? This girl is !**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 4: Let Her Go**

_**Staring at the bottom of your glass  
Hoping one day you'll make a dream last  
But dreams come slow and they go so fast  
You see her when you close your eyes  
Maybe one day you'll understand why  
Everything you touch surely dies**_

Her weekend consisted of her watching Bonnie practice spells and praying she didn't kill herself from the magic. She was weary of the idea of Bonnie risking her own life just to get Kol back. What good would it be to have Kol alive if Bonnie killed herself in the process? Caroline was sure Kol was uninterested in coming back to this life if Bonnie was not there to share it with him.

"Can I ask you something?" Caroline picked at her childhood blanket. She had given up the blanket many years before, but after losing her mom it was the only thing she could carry with her that made her think of her mom. It even smelled like her from being packed in a box of things in their attic.

Bonnie nodded as she chugged a bottle of water.

"Did you ever talk to Kol about the future?"

Bonnie sat a second thinking back on all the conversations she and Kol had had over the past ten years. They bickered a lot about her future. Herbs and spells could keep her young for so long. At some point she was going to start aging, and he wasn't.

"Kol was always coming up with some different plan for me to stay young with him. Of course, the herbs slow it down, so I still look like nineteen, but we knew at some point I would age. There was this spell that could immortalize me, but I don't really think I ever really thought about what that meant. I don't know if I even want to live forever. The only thing I have ever been sure of is Kol."

"So you're willing to bring him back knowing full well you will have to leave him at some point?" Caroline couldn't bring herself so say die. She didn't want to think about the day she no longer had Bonnie. She was tired of thinking about death and all it entailed.

"He never was supposed to die. I was the one that was supposed to die, and he was supposed to grieve. Not the other way around. I was never supposed to live without him," Bonnie explained to her best friend.

Kol had been gone for six months now. She had no one to talk to about it so all she did was sit in her room and practice her spells. She didn't want to bring it up to Caroline, because Caroline was mourning her mother, and Bonnie didn't want to burden Caroline. So she grieved by herself. It made it easier she could still hypothetically could see Kol. The perks of being a Bennett witch.

"I'm sorry I haven't been a good friend lately," Caroline murmured. She had been so wrapped up in her own grief, she would tend to forget how much pain Bonnie was going through. Bonnie had lost both of her parents at a young age, as well as Caroline's mom, then Kol. It had been just as hard of a year for Bonnie as it had been for her.

"Don't be sorry. You are dealing with your own issues."

Caroline shook her head at her best friend's words. "You need me, and I need you. Plain and simple, so we are going to take a break from the spells and the practice, and we are going to watch movies all day."

Bonnie gave a small smile, "Can I cry?"

Over the past few months, she never took the chance to see how sad Bonnie was without Kol. When he died, a piece of Bonnie went with him. She wasn't as happy as she once had been. Bonnie was coping, but that was all she was doing. She was just going through the motions of life. She wasn't really living.

"You can bawl."

* * *

Caroline had run out to Mystic Grill to grab some food for her and Bonnie when she saw Stefan at the bar. Matt, the rather sweet bartender, was talking to him about his week. Matt was probably mid- sixties and from what she understood had worked at the bar since he was a teenager and when the old owner died left it all to Matt.

She watched Stefan laugh at something Matt had told him, still shaking his when he put the shot glass to his lips.

She had not spoken to Stefan since she snuck out of his room that morning. She had never felt so awkward around him, but last night was different. She didn't know how to explain it, but she knew she needed to end it. They were getting too attached. She could feel herself wanting to be near him at all times, and she couldn't have that. She didn't even know when that started happen.

_It has been happening for awhile. You have just been denying yourself for months._

She wanted to punch her brain to leave her alone. She plucked up all her courage, yet hesitantly walked up to Matt and quietly asked to see a menu. Stefan spun in his stool, "Caroline Forbes."

"Hi, Stefan," she didn't look at him. She didn't want to, so she stared straight ahead looking at all the bottles of liquor.

"You weren't there this morning. You always leave," he observed and frowned, "I don't like that."

"I can't keep running to you because of my problems. It isn't healthy." Matt handed her a menu and made himself scarce, not wanting to interrupt their conversation. "Thank you," she called after him.

Stefan sighed, "I said, I was sorry."

Caroline shook her head, "And I said, I forgive you, but this isn't about that. This is about me being stronger than this. All we do is use each other anyway. You said so last night. I shouldn't have kissed you, and I definitely shouldn't have slept with you. It isn't fair to either of us."

She didn't want to be having this conversation in a bar with him drunk. "Matt, can I just have two chicken finger plates with honey mustard?"

Matt nodded, turning to his computer. Caroline sat twenty dollars on the bar knowing it would cover the meals and be a nice tip.

Caroline stood in silence not wanting to speak to Stefan anymore. She had been doing so well not seeing him or stopping by his house, and then last night she flushed all her hard work down the drain. Ten minutes passed and, before she knew it, Matt was handing her the food.

Stefan knew this was his last chance before she left to say anything. "I miss you."

Caroline turned to respond because even if she didn't want to admit she missed him as well. He had been a constant in her life for the past eight months, and the last week and a half had been hard. "You saw me last night, Stefan."

"But I still miss you. One night doesn't change that."

She opened her mouth, and yet her soft voice wasn't who he heard. Instead, it was the girl from math he had tried and failed to have sex with. "Stefan! I had so much fun the other night. I am sorry you got sick, and we had to end the fun early."

Caroline's eyes widened and her breath audibly caught. Stefan stumbled slightly from his stool to reach for the blonde. "Caroline."

Caroline snatched her things up and away from Stefan and the mystery girl. "The other night? You are unbelievable."

"Caroline—"

"Please, Stefan, just don't."

With that she left him with the girl. "Did I miss something?" she asked.

Stefan shook his head. "Matt, another."

Of course, looking back he would regret not running after her. Telling her he was sorry for how he acted. Explaining he should have never taken Tess home. Mutter he kicked Tess out after realizing she wasn't Caroline. These are the things he would have said to her, but he was drunk, and she was upset, and all it will lead to is sadness. Stefan had decided Caroline had enough sadness in her life and he refused to add to it.

* * *

"So I am going to assume things didn't go so well Friday night for lover boy," Damon muttered to his wife.

"Why you say that?" Elena looked in the mirror at Damon who rested in their bed.

They had planned on having a day just for themselves. They were going to get lunch and have a day without worrying about Kai or anything else. Of course, Damon was ready thirty minutes ago, and now he waited for his wife.

"He has been in a foul mood all weekend. Slamming doors and not wanting to talk to anyone. He's like ripper Stefan but scarier."

Elena rolled her eyes at his dramatics. "It must be a Salvatore thing. You went on a rampage when I broke up with you."

Damon glared at her good-naturedly. "I didn't rampage."

Elena gave him a pointed look.

"Okay, a small rampage, but still, Stefan is being weird."

"I think Caroline helps him stay grounded. She doesn't realize this of course, but he seems to have a better handle on the whole ripper thing ever since she came into the picture. I think it is why he has been drinking so much. It helps dulls his senses and temptations. It always has."

Elena sighed, sad to see Stefan go back to his drinking. The whole ripper thing had taken a toll on him. He hadn't had a problem with it until he lost his memory a year ago. A witch by the name of Qetsiyah had come back from the dead and upon seeing Stefan assumed rightly he was a doppelganger of Silas. In her fury of seeing a face identical to Silas, she stole his memories, thinking that she was making him forget about Elena, Qetsiyah not realizing that Stefan and Elena were not in love and never had been.

Those weeks with him not knowing who he was sparked him going on a killing spree. By the time he had gotten his memory back it had been too late. It took all his power to get it back under control. It seemed the only thing that helped him was alcohol.

"Human girls are always the ones to hurt us vampire boys the most."

Elena zipped up her make up bag and turned off the mirror lights before turning to look at Damon. "I never meant to hurt you."

Damon climbed off the bed and made his way in front of Elena. He cupped her cheek, making her lean into his touch.

"I know, my love. You didn't, not really. It just took some time for us to get it right," Damon smiled down at her.

"I'm glad we did."

"Now we just need to help Stefan," Damon said with a sneaky smile. A smile Elena knew would get her in trouble.

* * *

A teary-eyed Caroline slammed the door of her apartment making Bonnie come rushing in from the kitchen. "What's wrong?"

Caroline shrugged, flopping onto the couch. "What's wrong with me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why can't I just be a normal girl who meets a normal guy and can just be with him? Why do I have to be this monster that can't even like a boy?" Caroline cried.

"You're not a monster." Bonnie had thought they were passed this. It was no secret Caroline thought she was this monstrous thing who did not deserve to live another day. Caroline had just started not thinking that so Bonnie wasn't sure what happened to make her back track so quickly.

"Do you have feelings for Stefan?"

Caroline shook her head and blew out a loud breath. "I don't know. I have been so closed off for so long that I don't know what I want anymore, but I know it hurts to know he is with another girl, and it hurts that he is fooling around with her and then sleeping with me the next night."

"Did you tell him that?" Bonnie asked.

Caroline sighed, "I can't. I can't lead him on."

"Then you can't be mad if he moves on to someone who will open up to him," Bonnie explained slowly, not wanting to hurt her best friend.

"I know. It just hurts to know it can't be me. I think I wanted it to be me," Caroline admitted, her voice low.

Bonnie knew Caroline did not want to talk about her actual feelings for Stefan. That was why Caroline was so confused. Bonnie figured Caroline did not even realize what she was feeling until Stefan no longer was around. So Bonnie did what she did best for her friend, she changed the subject.

"So what did you get us?"

Caroline sniffled and wiped her nose. "Chicken fingers."

"I love chicken fingers," Bonnie forced a smile to her friend.

Caroline nodded handing her a box of food. "With extra honey mustard."

Bonnie grinned, "What would I do without you?"

"Probably be as lost as I would be without you."

* * *

"Why do you feel the need to push her away?" Damon asked Stefan later that night. He had come home to find a grouchy Stefan in the study with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. When Stefan explained what had happened, Damon started asking about Caroline.

"Because look at me. I have to stay drunk so I don't go kill people."

Damon ran a hand over his face. "I thought it was better."

"Nope, being a ripper never gets better. The voices just get quieter. The alcohol drown them out completely."

"And what did Caroline do for the voices?" Damon asked.

"I forgot about them." Stefan took a swig from the bottle then growled. "You know, two years ago, I never thought about it. I had it under control. I hadn't hurt anyone in fifty years. Then that bitch was pissed and took my memories away from me cause I looked like her lover that wronged her. It isn't fair, Damon. I righted my wrongs. I got better. Now look at me. I am pathetic."

Damon allowed his little brother to rant out his frustrations. He never got sober Stefan to talk so he would allow drunk Stefan to say whatever he needed to say. "I kept telling myself that Caroline Forbes meant nothing to me. That I didn't even know her, but I know her Damon. I fucking know her, and I care about her and I don't want to hurt her."

"Emotionally or physically?" Damon asked wearily.

"I would never lay a hand on her, but Ripper Stefan—I don't know. I don't want to find out, so I just keep pushing her away, and she keeps coming around, and I keep letting her. " Stefan had been denying himself the simple pleasure of talking about Caroline that he now couldn't stop. "What am I supposed to do, Damon?"

"Why don't you just tell her how you feel?" Damon suggested as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

"I can't. Especially with Kai possibly coming back. She would just get hurt."

"You actually care about her."

Stefan nodded, "She can never know. I have to stay away from her. I have to for her own safety. She deserves so much more than what I can give her. The best thing I can do for her is make her realize what a shitty person I am."

"You're willing to hide the greatest parts of yourself for her?" Damon asked, gaining no response from Stefan who was already walking out of the study. "Why do I feel like that plan will back fire?"

* * *

"Jo, I think I found something!" Alaric called out to his wife as he rushed through their small house.

"Did you find the witch?" Jo asked hopefully, walking out of Annabelle's room.

"No, but I found the spell she has been using to get over there." Alaric smiled.

"And that helps us how?" Jo's face scrunched at his response.

"Cause you can go over there and ask Kol who is doing it."

"You really think Kol Mikaelson is going to give up the witch who is trying to get him out?"

"This is the only thing we can really try." Alaric stated handing her the book.

Jo sighed, "I'm not strong enough to do this,"

Alaric kneeled before her. "Then you practice. You can do this. You have beaten Kai, you can go to the other side."

"And what if he doesn't tell me?"

Alaric shrugged, "Then we try something else. He isn't getting out again. I promise."

"I'm scared of him," she whispered.

* * *

"Caroline!"

Caroline looked over her shoulder to see Stefan jogging down the quiet hallway to where she stood. The classes were about to let out so she had been awkwardly standing around till then so she could sit in the room till her class began.

"I can't talk, Stefan."

"I will be quick. I just wanted to say that I am leaving you alone. You're right. We shouldn't be running back to each other, it isn't healthy."

Caroline felt her stomach flip. She knew she needed to agree, but in that moment she realized she didn't want this to end. She wanted to be selfish and have him, but she couldn't. She knew that. So she struggled with a smile and nodded. "I am glad you see it my way."

Part of Stefan had hoped she fought him on it. It took all of his strength to sound so nonchalant as he muttered the words to the only thing keeping him sane anymore. All he wanted was to tell her truth, tell her what he was, but he couldn't. "I think it will be best for both of us if we just stopped."

"Totally."

Stefan nodded. Walking away from her was harder than he expected. He could tell her smile was completely forced, and her bottom lip was trembling. Stefan stepped closer to her, placing a hand on the back of her neck and kissing her forehead.

She could tell his aloof attitude was a façade. They stood that way for a second, both realizing in that moment they cared a little more than either had led on. Stefan leaned back, and Caroline looked up at him. Stefan gave her a slow kiss. He decided this might be the last chance he had. He might as well take it. Especially since he was about to become the biggest prick.

"I'll be seeing ya," Caroline whispered.

Stefan nodded, walking away from her, feeling her eyes burning into his back.

Caroline took one last look at Stefan's back before students filed out of the classroom, and she moved past them and to the classroom. It was time for her to focus on her studies and to not worry about Stefan Salvatore anymore.

It was the best thing for both of them.

So why did it hurt so damn much?

**Well you only need the light when it's burning low  
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow  
Only know you love her when you let her go**

**Only know you've been high when you're feeling low**  
**Only hate the road when you're missin' home**  
**Only know you love her when you let her go**  
**And you let her go**

**Staring at the bottom of your glass**  
**Hoping one day you'll make a dream last**  
**But dreams come slow and they go so fast**

**You see her when you close your eyes**  
**Maybe one day you'll understand why**  
**Everything you touch surely dies**

**But you only need the light when it's burning low**  
**Only miss the sun when it starts to snow**  
**Only know you love her when you let her go**

**Only know you've been high when you're feeling low**  
**Only hate the road when you're missin' home**  
**Only know you love her when you let her go**

**Staring at the ceiling in the dark**  
**Same old empty feeling in your heart**  
**'Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast**

**Well you see her when you fall asleep**  
**But never to touch and never to keep**  
**'Cause you loved her too much**  
**And you dived too deep**

**Well you only need the light when it's burning low**  
**Only miss the sun when it starts to snow**  
**Only know you love her when you let her go**

**Only know you've been high when you're feeling low**  
**Only hate the road when you're missin' home**  
**Only know you love her when you let her go**

**And you let her go (oh, oh, ooh, oh no)**  
**And you let her go (oh, oh, ooh, oh no)**  
**Will you let her go?**

**'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low**  
**Only miss the sun when it starts to snow**  
**Only know you love her when you let her go**

**Only know you've been high when you're feeling low**  
**Only hate the road when you're missin' home**  
**Only know you love her when you let her go**

**'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low**  
**Only miss the sun when it starts to snow**  
**Only know you love her when you let her go**

**Only know you've been high when you're feeling low**  
**Only hate the road when you're missin' home**  
**Only know you love her when you let her go**

**And you let her go**

**By: Passenger**

**So here is chapter 4. It might take a little longer for the next chapter cause I just got a job, but I will try to update on Sundays since the place I work is closed then. **

**Till then, Cheers and Smiles All Around.**


	5. Chapter 5: World Spins Madly On

**This chapter is shorter. I apologize for that, but I wanted to end it a certain way and the only way I can is to make it shorter. I didn't want to add too much and take away from the ending, so I kept it shorter.**

**I apologize for taking so long to update, but I want to thank everyone who reviewed and all of the favorites and follows. Y'all are awesome!**

**This song is such an amazing song. It really makes me think of how Bonnie and Caroline must feel about Kol and Liz.**

**Well I will stop talking now.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Chapter 5: The World Spins Madly On**

_**Woke up and wished that I was dead  
With an aching in my head  
I lay motionless in bed  
I thought of you and where you'd gone  
and let the world spin madly on**_

"_I'm strong, Kol. I can save you," Bonnie smiled at the man she loved. She thought he would be happy. Of course he had questioned her over the last few months but, at the end of the day if she was strong enough, he would be just as gung-ho at being released from this hell hole as she was._

"_I know you could, love, but I need you to be strong for yourself."_

_He could feel her—her warmth radiated against his fingers—it showcased how strong she really was. The first time she managed to come to the other side she looked like a hologram flicking in and out of view. Now she was real. And he knew if given the chance she could take him out of here, but Kai was here, too. He might not have his magic, but he was sneaky enough to make it through without being noticed. And he would go after Bonnie for her magic._

_Bonnie tightened her grip around his hand. "I am not ready to lose you."_

"_It is time for you to grieve for me and forget about me." Kol cupped her cheek. For once, he needed to be selfless. For her._

"_Why won't you let me save you? I am so close," Bonnie's eyes had glazed over in agony. She couldn't accept she and Kol didn't get to be together again. She needed him._

"_You do not know how bad this could get if I am not only person who gets out. This could end badly. You could die. Caroline—could die."_

"_But I can protect us," Bonnie countered._

"_Not from this. Don't come over here anymore, Bonnie. You need to forget about me and this plan to save me."_

_Bonnie gasped as though a ghost had ransacked her stomach. She knew he was trying to protect her, but all he did was protect her. He died for her. She had to save him._

"_But I love you."_

"_And I love you, my witch. I always have, and I promise I always will, but it is time to let me go." Kol gave her one last kiss so faint only a ghost could create. Before Bonnie could object, she was thrust back into the real world. One without Kol._

"Bonnie! I am home," Bonnie heard Caroline call out.

She looked around getting a hold of her surroundings. She pushed the hair out of her eyes and took a deep breath to stop the tears. "I will be out in a minute."

She could hear Caroline rummaging through the kitchen. Bonnie walked into the Jack and Jill bathroom connecting the girls' bedrooms and turned the faucet on. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her face pale from the energy she had put into the spell, her eyes sunken back from her not sleeping in days.

She cupped the cold water and splashed it on her face. She took a few more inhales of air before inspecting herself once more. She needed to be strong. Kol was right, she needed to see things clearly.

She stepped out of the bathroom and made her way to the kitchen to find Caroline taking a sponge to the stove, bright yellow gloves on both of her hands. "Whatcha doing?"

"I am stressed, so I am cleaning," Caroline replied like it was the most normal thing. For Caroline Forbes, cleaning when stressed was the most normal thing about her.

"Everything okay?" Caroline had yet to look at her best friend—more interested in the stain on the stove refusing to come up.

"Yeah, just having a hard time in this class and—are you okay?" Caroline had turned midsentence shocked to find quivering lip Bonnie leaning against the doorway.

Bonnie looked at her shoes and nodded. Shoes Kol had thought were ugly but bought them for her anyway.

"No, you aren't. What happened?" Caroline ripped away her gloves and made her way to her best friend.

"Kol told me I needed to forget about him," she whispered.

"Bon," Caroline sighed, wrapping her arms around her best friend. Bonnie fell into her crying.

"I thought I could get him to agree. I need to save him. He shouldn't be over there."

"I know." Caroline consoled.

"How do I get passed this?"

"Well, you cry and then you wake up and see that you are still breathing even if it hurts. We do this every day." Caroline advised. She felt Bonnie nod against her shoulder. "How about I call Elena, and we have a girl's night?"

"Okay," Bonnie whispered.

"It is gonna be okay. I promise."

* * *

Caroline heard a knock at the door and slid across the hardwood in her stripe fuzzy socks. She turned the four locks barricading the door. The previous tenant had a crazy ex who liked to give her a few bruises when she didn't cook the right dinner. Caroline wanted to take them out because they did not really need them, but Enzo felt safer knowing they had it. Enzo could be so strange some times. He knew full well Caroline, being a vampire, could take down any intruder, and Bonnie could use her magic, but he still became over protective and all brotherly.

Caroline pulled the door open revealing not a petite Elena but a peeved Enzo.

"Um, hey, bro," her lips pulled back to form a real smile. One that reached her eyes not knowing Enzo had become annoyed.

"Don't hey bro, me." Enzo's accent became sharper whenever he was annoyed. He pushed the door ajar, slamming her shoulder—if she was not a vampire would definitely bruised her like an old apple. "Bonnie here?"

"Yeah, she is—"

"Bonnie!" Enzo's raised voice made Caroline become alert. One never wanted to be on the wrong side of a mad Enzo.

"What?" Bonnie closed her bedroom door behind her, hiding the mess of candles scattered around. She stepped toward Enzo cautiously.

"You are not bringing Kol back," Enzo snapped.

"I thought you said it was okay?" Caroline crossed her arms tight over her chest.

"Well that was before. Before a little birdie explained Kai would not just run into the sunset but come after you, Bonnie."

Caroline's eyebrow raised. "Why?"

"Because he is not like normal witches. He feeds off power, and Bonnie is the strongest witch around, and he will take all her power away and kill her."

"So that is why Kol is telling me no," Bonnie muttered. Kol had not given her the specifics when he said Kai could kill her, but now it was all starting to make sense.

"Wait, Kol told you not to do it?" Enzo's voice rang shocked, never believing a Mikaelson could do something so selfless.

"He said Kai could hurt me—he didn't say how."

"Well for once I agree with him. You will not be doing any more other side magic."

"You can't tell me what to do, Enzo." Bonnie loved Enzo, she did. He had taken her under his wing as much as he had Caroline. Surprisingly, his wife had softened him over the years, and when they had come to town Bonnie formed a close bond with Enzo's wife. After she had passed and Enzo came back from his killing spree—he swore to always protect Caroline and Bonnie.

But, she was a grown woman and could make her own decisions.

"Watch me." With that, Enzo stormed back out of the apartment.

"And he wonders why I am dramatic. Look at him, just swoops in here all macho, yells, then leaves. No how are you? Or anything," Caroline rambled, trying to lighten the mood only to have Bonnie, as always, slam a door in her face.

Great, Enzo pissed off Bonnie and Caroline was left alone.

Just like old times.

* * *

"Your brother sounds extremely intimidating." Elena popped a piece of popcorn into her mouth.

"Not really, he is just protective. So when we do something he doesn't like, he just gets mad," Bonnie explained awkwardly. Leaving out important parts of their fight made Enzo sound overbearing and strict when in reality he doesn't want Bonnie to be killed.

"That's what brothers are supposed to do."

"If you don't mind me asking, how long ago did your brother die?" Caroline asked.

"Ten years ago. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

It never got easier to talk about Jeremy. He was her little brother. She was supposed to protect him. When she first turned, he was still human, but he was in a car accident because of Katherine Pierce—may she not rest in peace—and thankfully Damon had slipped him some blood beforehand (Jeremy was training with Damon and had broken a limb in the process) and he had turned. Neither were happy for him to be a vampire because he was supposed to have the normal life, but as time progressed he came to accept what he was.

During the battle with Kai, some lives were lost—Jeremy being one of them. She felt like she had been staked through the heart when he fell to the ground lifeless. The one person she swore to protect she let down—again.

"So you were young when he died?" Bonnie asked.

Elena stilled completely forgetting that to any human she was only nine or ten, ten years ago. "Yup, not a day goes by that I don't think of him."

"Life can be so screwed up," Bonnie muttered.

"Sounds silly, but it does get better."

"I am waiting for the day I wake up and don't dread it," Bonnie voice was soft with grief.

"That takes a while. Trust me, but one day you wake up, and you smile, and it isn't fake. When your laugh doesn't feel strange and when your happiness doesn't feel heavy from the guilt."

"At least we have each other, right?" Caroline grasped Bonnie as well as Elena's hands.

"Right." Bonnie and Elena agreed.

* * *

Caroline stepped outside into the cold air after Bonnie and Elena had fallen asleep. Her mind was reeling about thoughts of her mom. Her birthday was coming up—Caroline was not ready for her mother's birthday to be here. It was the first one since her mom died, and Caroline feared the depression would pull her under when the day finally came.

"You must be cold." Caroline looked up to see Enzo walking up the steps.

"You're back."

"Well, in my haste to yell at Bonnie—I didn't get to check on you. A little anticlimactic if I tell her what to do and not walk out." Enzo pulled his jacket closer as he sat down next to Caroline.

"I'm okay. You will be happy to know that Stefan broke it off."

"You being sad doesn't make me happy Caroline. I just don't want you getting into a situation where you could get hurt."

Caroline laid her head on his shoulder. "Sometimes we need to get hurt. It helps us grow."

"You have hurt enough. You need to take a break from the hurting."

"I don't even know how to be happy anymore. I am so tired of being sad." Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall like a storm about to break an ominous cloud.

"I—I don't know what to say to comfort you. Maggie was always the comforting one."

"I miss her."

"Maggie?" Enzo's face softened at the thought of his love.

"Yeah, you're right. She was a lot better than you at this." Caroline teased, poking him in the side.

Enzo chuckled before his face sobered into a grim look.

"The life of a vampire is plagued with death. At some point you must accept that, Caroline. When you do, it becomes easier to say goodbye to the ones gone."

Caroline nodded, "I know."

They stayed silent for a good few minutes. It was a peaceful silence—one that wasn't plagued with things the other wants to say. But then the moment passed and the world became real again. "I have to go away for a while." Enzo sighed. "I need to find Rebekah—tell her about what is going on."

"Why can't Klaus go? Or Elijah?"

"I didn't ask. They just can't. I have nothing to hold me down. You and Bonnie have each other. I am hoping Bonnie does not go through with her suicide mission, and I hope you find closure in all this."

Caroline was used to Enzo going in and out of her life. He never stayed in one place too long—made him start thinking too much about Maggie. If he kept himself occupied then he could distract himself from the thought of her.

"I understand. Please be careful." Caroline turned on the bench to give Enzo a long hug.

"I always am. Take care of each other."

* * *

Bonnie needed to say goodbye. She deserved that. If she was going to move on she needed to see him one more time. She needed to feel his calloused hands in her soft ones one more time. She needed him one more time.

So she was going to get it. This was going to be one of the hardest things she had ever done—saying goodbye to Kol. She remembered when they first met she thought he was a monster. She believed he had no redeeming qualities. They began to get to know each other under circumstance. Klaus needed help, and Caroline wanted to be a good friend. Bonnie and Kol were thrust together multiple times and at some point their bickering matches weren't out of hate but out of fondness. Their glares turned into looks of longing and before she knew it she wanted to spend every single moment with him. She saw all of his good attributes start to peek through his anger like the sun straining to shine through the clouds.

She never would think saying goodbye to Kol Mikaelson would make her breath catch and become a hiccup of sadness. She stuttered the spell—shocked it even worked— and before she knew it the cold enveloped her. and she was on the other side.

"Bonnie Bennett. I have been waiting for you."

Bonnie gasped. Fear took over her body when she felt a hand clutch her shaky arm. She was about to die. She was going to lose all of her magic to Kai and she would be dead. Even worse, she and Kol would be dead and yet not together. She wasn't ready to die. She didn't want to be killed.

She didn't even get to say goodbye.

To Kol.

To Enzo.

To Caroline.

She couldn't die yet. She just couldn't. She needed it to get better. She wanted to get better. She didn't want to die this way. Not with all of this sadness and anger. She wanted to die with peace.

**Woke up and wished that I was dead  
With an aching in my head  
I lay motionless in bed  
I thought of you and where you'd gone  
and let the world spin madly on**

**Everything that I said I'd do**  
**Like make the world brand new**  
**And take the time for you**  
**I just got lost and slept right through the dawn**  
**And the world spins madly on**

**I let the day go by**  
**I always say goodbye**  
**I watch the stars from my window sill**  
**The whole world is moving and I'm standing still**

**Woke up and wished that I was dead**  
**With an aching in my head**  
**I lay motionless in bed**  
**The night is here and the day is gone**  
**And the world spins madly on**

**I thought of you and where you'd gone**  
**And the world spins madly on.**

**By: The Weepies.**

**So there it is. Once again, I apologize for taking so long to update. I was having a hard time finding a time to write in between work and school. I will try to be better, but I do not wanting to make any promises just in case I can't keep them.**

**I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. Sorry about the cliffhanger. I originally had more, but decided against it and I will add it to the beginning of next chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6: Ashes and Wine

**Sorry it took me so long to update. Between school and work, it is hard to find time to write. I wish I could write whenever I want, but school is my number one priority and I have to stay focused, so some times I will update rather quickly and other times it will take me a while. Plus, I would rather make sure my story is of great quality, so it might take longer for me to update cause I want it to be perfect. I am sorry if that me not updating quickly is a problem. I really hope y'all choose to stick with me cause I really enjoy writing this story and reading y'alls feedback. Okay, I am done rambling.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 6: Ashes and Wine **

Bonnie's arm fell from her captor's hand and back to its home next to her side. "What do you want, Kai?"

"Kai? I am not Kai,"

Bonnie's face scrunched up and her eyes narrowed at the tall boy. "And I should believe that why?"

"Because Kai is too arrogant. He would not lie about who he is. Too much pride in himself." The brunette growled.

"Then what do _you _want?" Bonnie's arm tightened across her chest. Even if the boy in front of her was not Kai—he could still be a threat.

"I want to help you. No one thinks you can get Kol out without letting Kai out, right?"

"And you think I can?" Bonnie's words came out slow like pouring molasses into a pot. Slow and skeptical.

"No. I don't. I think Kai will get out no matter what you do, but the difference is—I want Kai out."

Bonnie concluded the boy was insane and wanted havoc wreaked on the world. "Why?"

"Cause I want out and then I am going to kill him." His words were so confident like Kai was already in front of him with a snapped neck.

"And why should I let you out?"

"Because you want Kol out and I am the first person telling you to do it." He shrugged at the thought. It seemed so simple to him.

"Where is Kol?"

"Lexi is giving him a very long speech about being mean to you or something."

"Lexi? How many people are over here? And where are they?" Bonnie's body was no longer as tense as before. If he wanted to hurt her, he would have by now.

"Anyone with unfinished business and killed supernaturally is over here. They just are in different spots and whatnot. Lexi and I have been here for a while together—and we actually like Kol. He didn't deserve to die. Kai, on the other hand, can rot in hell."

"You want Lexi out too, don't you?"

He nodded at her making Bonnie let out huff. "I'm not strong enough to let everyone out."

"I'm not asking for everyone. I'm asking for Kol, me, and her. That's it."

"But you want Kai out too. Why can't he just stay?"

Jeremy huffed trying to keep a hold on his temper. Since dying, Lexi and more recently Kol have helped him try not to have his outbursts. "Cause he isn't dead. This is a prison to him. He is still very real. They wanted him to suffer, and if he gets a hold of you—he will take your magic and let himself out. I want him dead, not locked away where he can possibly get out."

Bonnie sighed. "How can I trust you?"

"You'll know soon enough. Just remember, I'm Jeremy Gilbert."

Before Bonnie could ask why she needed to remember his name, she was waking up in her room, hopeful in the days to come.

* * *

Caroline rummaged through her bag making sure she had her homework for her next class when she slammed into a body. Arms went around her waist to steady her. "I'm sorry."

She pushed her hair behind her ear glancing up to only connect eyes with none other than Stefan Salvatore. "You okay?"

His hands were still resting comfortably on her hips making her tense. She pulled away from him—her face turning a warm shade of pink. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Elena said that your—"

"I'm fine, Stefan." Her smile was small. Just enough to comfort the boy in front of her. "It isn't something you need to worry about."

She skirted around him with vampire grace, praying in her mind that he would walk away in the other direction. God must have had her on mute today because she could hear his light footsteps behind her. "Even if we aren't—well I still worry about you, Caroline."

She spun around—his walking coming to a complete halt. "Please tell me you aren't about to say we can still be friends."

"Why can't we? You're the one that said we shouldn't see each other anymore."

Caroline glanced over his shoulder not wanting to look into his eyes. He was right. They didn't need to be together. She was the one that said it first. She didn't want him ending up hurt. That didn't mean she could be friends with him. That she could sit in a room with him and act like nothing ever happened because she did care about him and she missed him dreadfully.

"I know I did, but it doesn't make it easy. I just—I can't be friends with you, Stefan."

"Why not?"

"Because it would only be a matter of time before we are alone and then we would fall back into what we know."

"Well, I don't think I could do that." His words fumbled out of him mouth awkwardly.

"Oh?"

"I am seeing someone."

Caroline took a sharp intake of air. Silently and unnoticed by Stefan who stared at anything but her. Here she was sad and missing him when he never even cared about her. How could she be so stupid? Of course he was seeing someone. He couldn't handle not getting laid. He ended things with her only a week ago and now he had someone else falling asleep on the right side of his bed.

"Oh." Caroline's voice was low and raspy, trying her hardest not to reveal the sadness enveloping her. "That's awesome. I hope it works out for you."

"Caroline—" Stefan reached for her hand, but she snatched it away and out of his grasp. He didn't get to touch her. Not when someone else waited for him.

"I need to go."

"I'm sorry."

She officially was pathetic. He was apologizing for finding someone that wasn't her. She squinted her eyes at him. She needed to fix this. "Sorry? You don't need to be sorry. I am really happy for you. I am sure she is great. And stable. I just really need to go." Her tongue spat out the words so quickly before her legs went as fast as a human could move.

Stefan watched her go cursing himself. He thought telling her he was seeing someone would make things easier for him, but listening to her breath catch as he said it made him squirm. He wanted her to forget about him and he didn't need to be with someone he could really care about it. Like her. She could be everything to him, but she couldn't. So he needed to let her go.

* * *

She sat in her usual seat trying to find a new outlook on her immortal life. Repeating the mantra of not to glare at Stefan flirting with his new girlfriend. Why flirt when he is already dating her?

"You stare any harder, you might literally burn her hair off."

"I'm not glaring, Elena. I just think he can do better," Caroline shrugged.

"Right."

"Excuse me, I am trying to pay attention." Caroline's eyes hardened at the annoying vapid girl in front of her. She was just snippy cause Stefan dropped her.

_Isn't that why you are snippy?_

Elena made a mocking face at the girl who flung her hair back ridding herself of Caroline and Elena. Caroline looked at Elena with annoyance and disbelief making Elena snort with laughter.

Soon class was let out and Elena was questioning Caroline's well-being. "You sure you are okay?"

"Of course I am not okay with it, but me being completely unokay with it doesn't change anything," Caroline rambled—her hands moving in all sorts of directions.

"I don't think unokay is technically a word,"

"Shut up. But seriously, it never would have worked between us, so I just need to get over it."

"You know I hate to say this but she is really nice."

"I know she is. It sucks. I would rather it be Ms. Priss Pants so then I have reason to be annoyed."

Elena sped up to grab the door a boy held out of them. She flashed a generous smile—he glancing down at her finger with her wedding ring holding it captive. The boy instantly avoided eye contact and shuffled away.

"Why do people do that? I'm young and married. Does it mean it is contagious," Elena growled. Caroline let out a small giggle.

"Maybe he thought you were cute."

"Did I tell you a kid the other day explained to me that his parents married at nineteen and now they are divorced? Damon and I have been together for so long—"

"I mean technically, how long? You are only nineteen."

Elena cursed herself. She really needed to sharpen up on her vampire to human interaction. "Still, feels like it has been forever so everyone needs to mind their own damn business."

Caroline noticed the stutter in Elena's tone and felt this overwhelming dread that Elena was keeping something from her. The pieces would come together at some point, but for now Caroline was just ready to lose someone else she had grown to care for.

* * *

All class, Bonnie could not get this Jeremy boy out of her mind. He seemed so sure in his plan, so sure he could save everyone, so sure Bonnie was strong enough—she believed in herself because of him.

She needed to know more of this confident man. She just had no idea where to begin. When she got home, she began digging. She searched his name on the internet only finding a few mugshots and learning he was from Mystic Falls. He had no social media and she didn't know how to look for Lexi so her search came to an abrupt end. Or maybe it hadn't. If he is from Mystic Falls then Elena most likely knew he was. She maybe even went to school with him. She would have to find a way to bring him up to her. Maybe look through one of Elena's old years books.

"Have you ever heard of Elena mention a Jeremy?" Bonnie asked Caroline that night at dinner.

"Not that I know of. Why?"

"Well I went over to the other side—" At Caroline's glare, Bonnie added, "I wanted to say goodbye, but he wasn't there. Jeremy was."

"Bonnie, you could have been hurt."

"He didn't want to hurt me though. He wants me to let him out."

Caroline rolled her eyes, sitting her plate on their coffee table. She pulled her legs on to the sofa, crossing them and holding Bonnie's hand. "He could be Kai."

"I know this sounds crazy, but I don't think he was. I—I trusted him. He talked of Kol like he knew him and he wanted to let this girl named Lexi—"

"Now that name sounds familiar. A friend of Stefan's name was Lexi. Died a few years ago. He was really broken up about it."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Can't be the same person right?"

"Can't be."

"It just all seems too weird. Maybe next time we are at Elena's we can ask to see a yearbook or something." Bonnie suggested as she grabbed the remote and flipped on the TV to find something to watch.

It was rather silly since within ten minutes of them switching on a movie, the two girls would always end up laughing and talking—forgetting about the movie.

* * *

Damon had been summoned bright and early by Jo and Alaric. Walking into the house, he was ransacked by a little boy. "Uncle Damon!"

Damon looked down at the bright blond boy and lifted him into his arms with ease. "What are you doing home, Luke? Shouldn't you be in school?"

The nine year old boy rolled his eyes. "Teacher work day."

"Where's your sister, then?" Damon looked around the living room only seeing Annabelle in her play pen and a video game left unattended.

"She's right there?" Luke pointed at Annabelle who giggled.

"You're twin sister, Luke."

"Oh. She's at some girl's house."

Damon shook his head at the disgusted look on Luke's face.

When Jo got pregnant with the twins, they had just sent Kai back to his prison world. Kai had killed Luke, Jo's younger brother, in a fit of rage when Jo refused to merge with him. Luke believed he could beat Kai, so he merged. Luke lost. When Jo learned she was having a boy, she felt it was only right to name it after the brother who saved her. She feared Luke and his twin sister, Grey, would have to merge for the coven, but the coven destroyed the twin merge after what happened with Kai.

"Damon," Jo's voice was solemn as she said his name.

"Alright little man. Watch Annabelle while your mom and I talk." Damon let Luke settle on his feet before he followed Jo to a back study room.

"What's up?" Damon asked closing the door behind him and staring at his best friend.

"It's a Bennett witch."

Bennett. Oh the Bennett witches. They were known to be part of the most powerful line of witches. Damon believed Emily was the last one. He never thought he would have to deal with another one.

"Fuck." He muttered.

If it was true a Bennett witch was trying to release Kol Mikaelson then they had no chance of defeating her.

Kai was going to be let out again.

And all for a fucking Mikaelson.

**Don't know what to do anymore**  
**I've lost the only love worth fighting for**  
**I'll drown in my tear storming sea,**  
**That would show you, that would make you hurt like me**

**All the same**  
**I don't want mudslinging games**  
**It's such a shame**  
**To let you walk away**

**Is there a chance?**  
**A fragment of light at the end of the tunnel?**  
**A reason to fight?**  
**Is there a chance you may change your mind?**  
**Or are we ashes and wine?**

**Don't know if our fate's already sealed**  
**This day's spinning circus on a wheel**  
**I'm ill with the thought of your kiss**  
**Coffee laced intoxicating on her lips**

**Shut it out**  
**I've got no claim on you now**  
**Not allowed to wear your freedom down**

**Is there a chance?**  
**A fragment of light at the end of the tunnel?**  
**A reason to fight?**  
**Is there a chance you may change your mind?**  
**Or are we ashes and wine?**

**I'll tear myself away**  
**That is what you need**  
**There is nothing left to say**  
**But**

**Is there a chance?**  
**A fragment of light at the end of the tunnel?**  
**A reason to fight?**  
**Is there a chance you may change your mind?**  
**Or are we ashes and wine?**  
**The day's still ashes and wine**  
**Or are we ashes?**

**By: A Fine Frenzy**

**Till then, Cheers and Smiles All Around**


	7. Chapter 7: Monster

**So I can totally explain. Until today, I did not have internet at my house. While I was in school, I was able to update. Well, I have been out of school since my last update, so though I have had this ready for about two and half weeks, I had no way to update it. Until now! So I am so sorry about the fact that I couldn't update, but now I can!**

**Chapter 7: Monster**

_**If I told you what I was,  
****Would you turn your back on me?  
****And if I seem dangerous,  
****Would you be scared?  
****I get the feeling just because  
****Everything I touch isn't dark enough  
****That this problem lies in me**_

At three o' clock in the morning, Caroline was awoken by the sound of someone walking up her front steps. Instantly, she pushed her covers back, grabbed her robe, and sped through her room to the front door. Not wanting to wake Bonnie up, she decided to investigate on her own. She swung the door open only to come face to face with her old flame, Klaus Mikaelson.

"Klaus?" Caroline wrapped her thin robe tight around her body. Though not keeping her warm from the cold, it shielded her body hidden from the prying eyes of the big bad original.

"Caroline," Her name rolling off his tongue, accented at the right places, no longer made a shiver run down her spine like it once did. His smirk no longer made her eyes flash with desire. She didn't hide her feelings anymore. She felt completely indifferent to the man in front of her.

At one time, she believed she loved the broken man in front of her. She wanted to change him, fix what a thousand years of hatred had created. After months of denying her feelings, she allowed herself to be with him. Only to run off, humiliated by her actions. He would never change for her. He would always be a killer with no remorse.

_He is nothing like Stefan. _

_Kind, loyal. _

_No, Klaus could never compare to Stefan._

"What are you doing here?"

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" He smirked at her.

"No." She simply said knowing that he could not step through the door without Bonnie inviting him in. Something the witch would never think to do.

Klaus leaned against her door frame deciding to cut to the reason he stood in Mystic Falls. "I heard she can bring him back and you won't allow it."

"Well your little birdie is wrong. It isn't my decision if she brings him back."

"But you advised her not to do it." His anger was beginning to rise and even after years of knowing him she felt herself become scared. Nothing would stop him from killing her if she stood in his way.

He had tried before.

"Do I think it is a terrible idea? Yes, Klaus I do. But it isn't me stopping her, it is him."

Klaus huffed. "Of course. Little brother decided to worry about someone other than himself."

"About time one of you Mikaelson boys did."

"She will bring him back." He glared at her insinuating the pain he will cause if she stood in his way.

"Don't threaten me, Klaus. I'm no longer in love with you. You can't use your manipulation on me anymore."

Klaus looked at her—regret flashed through his eyes. "You're in love with another."

Caroline bit her lip closing the door slightly to guard herself from him. "Leave, Klaus. You aren't welcome here."

"That wasn't a no, love."

"Again I say, leave."

"He's human, isn't he?" At Caroline's stutter, he grinned. "Well that makes things extremely interesting for me. I could always torture him until you convince—"

"How can I convince her if she is already wanting to do it? It isn't my fault Kol doesn't want to come back." Her voice held the tone of steel, not wanting her emotions to give anything away. He couldn't know about Stefan. Klaus would kill him and she would never forgive herself.

"Don't get defensive, love."

"Don't call me that."

His eyes hardened on her—jealously evident in his fear. "Does he call you that?"

"No, he doesn't, but you saying it makes my skin crawl, so I going to say it one more time Klaus—leave." She watched as his angry façade faltered and she knew she had broken through his train of thought. She knew Klaus Mikaelson and she knew when he set his mind on something it would take a great deal of effort to pull him out of it.

"She will save him."

With that, he sped away—leaving Caroline cold and frightened.

Her mind filled with thoughts of Stefan being tortured by Klaus and she felt her chest tightened and her slow, thudding heart beat, stopped. Did she love Stefan? Well, she didn't know. She never allowed herself to delve deep into those thoughts because she didn't want to get hurt. But, the thought of Stefan lying lifeless on the ground—his blood smeared across Klaus' lips gave her enough of a fright for her not to get anymore sleep for the rest of the night.

* * *

The next morning Caroline's felt sluggish. She needed to feed. She had been so wrapped up in Stefan and now Klaus she had truly been slacking on taking care of herself. Deciding she needed a day to herself, she took a long hot shower trying not to think about Klaus. Every time she let her mind slip into thoughts about their encounter she felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes. She couldn't allow Stefan to be hurt.

She stepped out of the shower wiping the fog away from the mirror. Feeling herself jump when nothing stared back at her. Part of her feared Klaus would be in her reflection just to scare her.

Not caring too much about her appearance, she pulled her still wet hair into high bun deciding to forgo make up for the day. Pulling on a t-shirt and yoga pants, she slipped on her ballet flats and exited her room.

"You look awful." The accent made her breath hitch.

"Enzo," She sighed—thankful it was someone who only meant her good.

"Of course, Enzo. Who else would be sitting in your living room at six o clock in the morning?" He grinned shutting off the TV and turning on the sofa to lounge.

"Silly me."

Enzo noticed her soft, broken voice and stood slowly. "Did someone hurt you?"

"Klaus stopped by."

Enzo eye's darkened as he stepped in front of the girl he swore to always protect. "What?"

"Last night. Threatened Stefan hoping I would tell Bonnie to bring Kol back." She felt her emotions start to swill around her. Having Enzo in front of her made her walls start to crumble as the tears welled in her eyes.

"It's okay. He's gone." Enzo wrapped his arms around Caroline as she fell into him.

"Please don't let him hurt Stefan," She cried knowing not wearing make up was a good idea.

"I won't."

And that is how they stayed for quite some time. Caroline continued to cry and Enzo comforted the broken girl.

"Have you fed recently?" He finally asked when her cries began to soften.

"No. Why?" She sniffed.

* * *

"You get overemotional when you don't. Come on, I snatched some blood bags for you." He grinned pulling her towards the kitchen, trying his best to calm her down.

Enzo had effectively calmed and fed Caroline by the time she needed to start getting ready for school. Seeing Stefan walking around campus made her emotions begin to get worked up again—terrified of Klaus hurting him.

She tried to keep herself occupied and the annoying alerts on her phone seemed to be doing it for her.

"How do I get this to go away?" Caroline asked shoving her phone at Elena. She was tired of her phone asking for passwords she didn't know. It literally made her want to crumble it in her hands

"Oh! This is happened to Damon a few months back. It ended up being like the last password your phone was programmed as,"

Caroline couldn't believe it was that simple. She typed in the only password she had ever had and sure enough she got a new voicemail. It was from telemarketer dated a year ago. "Wow, that easy,"

She walked into math class fifteen minutes early and took a seat next to Elena, "Shit, I forgot my homework in the car. I will be right back," Elena jumped up and ran out of the classroom.

Caroline chuckled slightly and sat by herself. She felt her phone buzz and looked down to see a voicemail from a number that made her heart stop. She had deleted her police station out of her phone, no longer needing it but she remember the numbed by heart. She looked around and figured it didn't hurt to listen to it.

Her breath hitched when her mom's voice hit her ears.

"_Caroline, I know you are mad at me."_

Caroline's lip quivered, _"I know you think your blood could cure me, but even Enzo said it is a risk. I don't want to live the rest of my days sitting around waiting for it to work and if it doesn't then I have wasted my last days waiting instead of with you. I'm sorry if this hurts you, sweetheart. I don't want to die either. I want to see you graduate college and get married, but we need to prepare ourselves. I love you so much."_

Caroline felt the tears start to fall. She couldn't help it. She had been doing so well without her mom and then she gets this. She couldn't move. She just felt numb.

"Caroline?" The voice made her let out a small sob. She didn't want him to see her like this. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. She was stronger than that. She could get passed this.

"Come here," He pulled her out of the desk. She did not struggle against him, but instead allowed him to wrap her tight in his arms. Her small hands held onto the front of his shirt as she cried.

"Let's get out of here," He whispered and she shook her head. "Why not?"

"Cause you-have a—girlfriend," She whimpered through sobs.

"I know,"

"What's wrong?" Stefan looked over to see Elena standing in the doorway. Stefan wasn't sure how to respond. He wanted to take care of Caroline. He didn't want to have Elena take care of her. It was selfish of him. He did have a girlfriend, but Caroline needed him. He wasn't there all those times before when she needed him, but he was here now.

She wouldn't let him though.

"Will you go with Elena?" He whispered in her hair and she nodded. He sighed, kissing her head and picking up her bag. He took her homework out knowing Caroline Forbes was not one to forget assignments before he placed the bag across her shoulder.

"Elena, take her to the boarding house."

Elena didn't question her brother-in-law, just handed him the homework she ran all the way to the car to get. She felt awkward in front Stefan and Caroline. Stefan was seeing someone else and Caroline was head over heels for him. The last thing Elena wanted was for Caroline to be hurt by her brother-in-law's indecisiveness.

"Y'all might want to hurry this up, because people are about to start heading in," Elena muttered.

Stefan wiped Caroline's continuous tears, "Baby, you need to breathe,"

Caroline nodded trying her hardest to stop the crying. She heaved haggard breaths as another sob enveloped her small frame.

Stefan fought hard with what to do. Before he knew it, Elena was in front of him. She grabbed Caroline's face so she would look Elena in the eyes, "Caroline," she said in a soothing voice. "Calm down,"

Caroline's crying slowed and her eyes went wide, "Oh my god,"

Stefan pushed Elena out of the way. She didn't need to compel Caroline. He could calm her down.

Caroline sniffed and looked at both of them with shocked eyes, "Oh my god,"

Stefan was confused. Her crying had slowed, but it was obvious she hadn't been compelled. Was she on vervain? Stefan reached for her, but she snatched her arm out of his reach, "I can't be here," She whispered sprinting out the door.

"Why did you do that?" Stefan snapped.

"She was making herself sick from the crying, Stefan. The same thing happened to me when Jeremy died," Elena replied forcefully.

"You didn't need to compel her,"

"Well, it obviously didn't work meaning she is on vervain meaning she knows about vampires," Elena sighed worried what this meant for her family. She loved Caroline and they had quickly formed a bond. Knowing that Caroline knew what vampires terrified her into losing a best friend.

Stefan mentally berated himself for allowing Elena to try to compel Caroline. He shook his head before quickly leaving in the same direction Caroline did.

* * *

She was having a panic attack. Well, as much of one as a vampire could have.

He was a vampire. All of those thoughts she had feared for them flew out the window. How could she be so stupid? How did she not notice?

_Why would you ever look for the signs?_

She couldn't believe this. She leaned against a tree trying to calm herself down. She thought back on all of the moments they shared, but not once did she ever wonder if he could be what she was.

"Caroline."

_Shit._

"I can't talk to you right now."

Stefan slowly approached her not wanting to scare her off.

"I know you must be scared."

Scared. Why would she be scared? He is just like her.

_Cause he thinks you're human. _

Everything became so clear. Why Elena and Damon had been together so long, why he didn't care they were together.

"When were you born?"

Really? Out of all the things he expected out of her mouth, that wasn't it.

"uh, 1846."

"Oh." She didn't know he was that old. He must have turned during the civil war. Wait, was he a soldier?

"Caroline, please just don't freak out."

She continued to stare at him. There was a part that wanted to run at him and kiss him, but the other part feared Klaus coming after him even more now.

"I'm twenty eight." It was the only thing she could think to say to him to make him understand.

"You're twenty eight." He said slowly. She watched as his mind began to work out the kinks and he found clarity. "You're twenty eight."

She shrugged and he felt a heaviness lift off of him. "Everything makes so much more sense."

She nodded. He didn't hesitate to close the distance between them. Before she could understand what was happening, he was pulling her to him, slanting his lips over hers.

She couldn't do this. She wanted to, so bad. But she couldn't. Her mind yelled at her to pull away as she pushed her hands into his hair—not hesitating on using her strength.

"Stefan, I can't. We can't."

Stefan pulled away hurt. "But we are both vampires."

She didn't want to bring up Klaus. So she lied.

"I know, but that doesn't change anything. It doesn't change that I am on the brink of turning off my humanity to not feel that pain of my mother or the fact you drink yourself into oblivion for god knows what reason. You still have a girlfriend and I am still broken."

"Don't you understand, Caroline? You terrify me. I feel so much with I am with you that I forget about the whole ripper—"

"You're a ripper? Explains the drinking and proves my point."

"You keep me grounded. I need you."

She felt her heart began to break. She needed him too. To find out she could be with him full-heartedly was the best news she had heard in months. All of the feelings she had held at bay in fear of hurting him came rushing towards her.

But Klaus would kill him.

"We are back where we started, Stefan. We depend on each other too much. It isn't fair. We have to be healthy."

"Caroline, you can't be serious." He couldn't lose her. Not when he finally could finally have her.

Klaus' threat plagued her mind. She needed Stefan as far away from her as possible, but he needed to know the truth. He needed to know how she felt. She bit her lip to stop it from trembling.

His hands came up to cup her face. "Baby, talk to me."

She closed her eyes leaning into his touch. She missed him touching her. "I can't."

"Yes you can." He leaned his forehead against her own. She felt the tears begin to form.

"I can't put you in danger, Stefan. Being with me is dangerous. I don't want you hurt."

And then she was gone.

* * *

Damon stood in front of the Bennett witch's house. He needed answers. He needed to know what was so damn special about Kol Mikaelson. He needed to understand why she would take the chance to release hell on earth for a Mikaelson.

So he knocked. Well, pounded.

And when she swung the door open, his eyes slanted into a glare. "Bonnie Bennett?"

"Who is asking?" She questioned, her eyebrow raised.

"Not important. You see, what is important is you trying to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

She cocked her head to the side more amused than frightened by his outburst. She assumed he was a vampire and somehow found out about her plan to bring Kol back.

"Kol makes it my business so now I ask why it is yours?"

"Do you know how much blood, sweat, not to mention lives it took to get Kai over there and you want to set him free because of Kol Mikaelson?" He said it as though they were best friends giving her advice on saving the man she loved.

She glanced down at his left hand to see the black ring holding his ring finger captive. "And if the pair to that ring was over there wouldn't you do anything to get her back? Even if it meant bringing Kai back."

He stuttered for a moment because he wasn't sure how to respond.

_She's right. You'd risk everyone for Elena. _

"You don't understand how crazy he is." Damon cringed just thinking about the mayhem Kai caused the last go around.

Bonnie wondered if he knew Jeremy. He knew Kai, what are the odds he knew of the other two captors that waited on the other side.

"Jeremy Gilbert, you know him?"

Damon's eyes narrowed at her.

"If you're playing me so I will allow—" His words were garbled up into a scream as he dropped to the ground agonizing pain. Aneurysm after aneurysm was sent through his brain causing him to want to pull his hair out.

"Allow? Let's get one thing straight. I don't need anyone's permission. If I want to release Kol and everyone else over there, I will. I'm guessing by your reaction you do know Jeremy Gilbert. So I will ask again—who—are—you?"

"Damon—Damon Salvatore," He grounded out through the pain which instantly stopped when the last syllable escaped his mouth.

"Elena's husband?" Bonnie gasped. "You're a vampire?"

"How do you know Elena?" He glared still not able to stand—lingering pain flittering through his brain.

"She's my friend. Stefan's your brother. They are vampires? How did I not notice this? Does Caroline know?" Bonnie spun around shocked at the information she was collecting.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Bonnie."

"How can I believe you?"

Damon had finally made his way to his feet and sighed. "Jeremy is Elena's brother. Kai killed him ten years ago."

"And Lexi?"

Damon felt his chest tighten at the thought of his brother's best friend. A girl Damon carelessly took the life of fifty years ago before he cared about anyone. "Stefan's best friend. She died—a long time ago."

Bonnie stared at him a long while. She didn't know what about him she felt she could trust, but she could. In a weird way, he reminded her of Kol. "Come in."

Damon was shocked by her words, but followed her into the house never the less.

"Jeremy wants to kill Kai. He says the prison isn't enough." Bonnie explained to him.

"He's over there? You're not lying?"

Bonnie shook her head. "I didn't even know who he was. Why would I lie? And Elena is a vampire?" He nodded. "Does Caroline know?" She asked again.

Before he answered the front door slammed. They both turned to see Caroline come through the door with tears streaming down her face. She gave a Damon a glare.

"I'm taking that as a yes."

With that, Caroline ran to her room in a vampire flurry.

"And apparently she is one too. Well that just took an interesting turn."

* * *

She stayed in her room the rest of the night trying to understand the information that she gained throughout the day. She could be with him, but she couldn't. Stupid Klaus. Why couldn't he just leave her and the people she loved alone? Cause she did—she loved Stefan. Learning he was a vampire had made her understand her feelings for him. What started as a distraction snowballed into her falling head over heels for the first time in her life. Nothing had felt like this before. What she thought she had with Klaus paled in comparison to Stefan. The way she longed for him. The ache when he around.

She thought about him all night.

And before she knew it the sun began to rise.

She needed to get out of the house. She needed to just get away.

So she got dressed, put on her favorite jeans and t-shirt, and stared at herself in the mirror— thankful that her vampire tendencies made it impossible to see that she hadn't slept and had she cried all night.

And with that she left the house.

She walked the whole town before deciding she was hungry. She decided to go to the local breakfast spot. Before making her way to the door she saw someone she thought was long gone.

Rebekah Mikaelson stood stock still as she stared into the diner. Caroline took a quick glance around to make sure Bekah's brother was not around before calling out her name.

"Bex?" Rebekah snapped back to reality, jumping slightly before turning to look at Caroline.

"Caroline." She smiled gratefully walking over and wrapping her arms around the blonde.

Still stunned to see Rebekah standing there, Caroline's arms hung loosely beside her.

"Enzo told me you were living here."

"Did you come back to threaten me too?" Rebekah cocked her head in utter confusion. "I will take that as a no. Your beloved brother stopped by to threaten me to get Kol back."

"He is truly insufferable. No, I did not come back to threaten you. Though, I miss my big brother dreadfully, he is gone and I am beginning to accept that."

"No offense, but then why are you here?" Rebekah glanced back into the diner before pulling Caroline away from the windows to sit on a nearby bench.

"To protect my family." She said sadly.

"I don't understand."

"I don't really know where to start."

Rebekah sighed and pushed her hair back, the small ring on her ring finger glistening in the sun. Caroline had noticed Rebekah had worn that ring in all the years she had known her, but never said where it came from.

"A little over forty years ago, my brothers and I moved back here because they missed home. I begrudgingly came with them and I met a boy. He worked at the Mystic Grill and was so beautifully human." Rebekah got a smile on her face that Caroline had never seen before.

"I was so in love it hurt. For the first time in my life, I wanted to be human. To grow old with him and I wanted him to know what I was. I wanted him to be proud of who I was. So I told him and he hated vampires, but he loved me." Rebekah gnawed on her lip, glancing at the diner when she heard the door open with her super human hearing.

"We married when he was twenty five. Klaus and the boys had decided to flee to a new city, but I stayed. And things were good. We were happy, but I did something that he probably should never have forgiven me for. I would put drops of my blood in his coffee every morning—just to be safe. I feared someone would hurt him to get to me."

Caroline glanced the ring Rebekah played with—everything about her becoming so clear. The bitterness Rebekah held towards her brother was palpable. The tension between the two could be cut with a knife and anytime Rebekah as stuck in the same room as Klaus she looked like if she could vomit, then she would.

"Well, he ended up getting in a car accident. Can you believe that? Here I fear all of the supernatural ways to die, not even thinking something so human could kill him. His injuries were too severe and I lost him." Rebekah sniffed at the thought of losing her beloved.

"When he woke up, I surely thought he would leave me to die once again—never wanting to become the vampire I was. Of course he was angry I lied to him, but he understood I was doing it to protect him."

"So he became a vampire?" Caroline asked.

Rebekah nodded. "I thought we would have eternity together and for ten years, we had a perfect life of traveling and just being in love. I taught him to control the blood to make sure he never became the killer he feared."

"So what happened?"

"Klaus happened. He got a werewolf pregnant and she feared he would use the baby to make hybrids. So she gave the baby to me and told Klaus the baby died. We fled, raising Hope as our own and though it was scary he would come after us, I was happy. I had everything I wanted. A husband, a baby who would probably be either a hybrid or a werewolf or a witch—which one I didn't know. But I was happy and for ten more years, I was a mom and I loved her. But Klaus found out that I had a baby and he started to wonder—" At this point, Rebekah took a deep breath to stop her emotions from overwhelming her. "I couldn't have him hurt my baby, so I left. I ran away hoping he would come after to me and not my family."

"So why do you stay with Klaus?"

"Cause he found me and I thought if I went home with him—well then he would think there was nothing to worry about. "

"And you're here why?" Caroline was still utterly confused on why Rebekah came to Mystic Falls.

"Cause they moved here. And before I left, I had a witch place a spell so he'd give the appearance of an aging man."

"Cause Klaus knows you were married to a vampire." Rebekah nodded.

"I'm sorry, Rebekah."

"I just need to make sure he doesn't hurt them."

"Won't the spell wear off?"

"It will in a few years. He will revert back to a healthy twenty six year old vampire. That or if I come back and we see each other."

"Sounds like a powerful witch."

"She is." Rebekah stood up taking a chance to once again look inside the diner. Caroline followed her and when she looked into the restaurant she was shocked to what she saw.

Matt Donavon laughing with a girl who looked to be mid-twenties. The girl had lilac colored hair pulled back into a high bun with her legs crossed on her seat. She flung her hands around as Matt smiled and sipped on his coffee.

"Matt Donavon is a vampire?" Caroline asked flabbergasted.

"It is shocking to see him as a sixty something year old man, but I know my husband and I know my daughter."

"Bex—"

"You're not the only one being threatened by Klaus. If he knows that is my daughter—he will come after her. I will do anything to protect my family."

"I know."

"And I will protect yours as well." Rebekah placed a hand on Caroline's arm. She had grown rather fond of Caroline over the last ten years. At first, she was skeptical of the optimistic blonde, but soon began to form a tight bond with the girl.

"How long has it been since you talked to him?"

Rebekah sighed. "Fifteen very long years."

"Maybe if you just talked to him."

"Trust me, that thought has crossed my mind. I don't know if I am strong enough. Plus, if the spells wears off after we talk then I effectively ruin his life."

"We will figure it out. Just stay here for a second, okay? I am going to grab some food for us then we can go back to my place."

Rebekah nodded as Caroline pulled away from her walking into the diner. As she started towards the counter, Matt called her over. "Caroline, I wanted to meet my daughter, Hope."

Hope sat her fork down and stretched her hand out for Caroline to take. Caroline stared hard at her—seeing Klaus' features etched into her face. Except, she had a smile pulling at her lips instead of a scowl.

"Hi," Caroline rasped out.

"Caroline is a friend of Stefan's." Matt explained making Hope give a nod.

"So you were the reason he was in such a good mood last time I was home."

Caroline sputtered at the thought. Well she was blunt. She must get that from Bekah.

"Hope," Matt's tone was one of warning, very used to his daughter's antics.

Before Hope had a chance to respond, she glanced out the window, eyes widening in shock. "Mom?"

Caroline felt herself begin to panic. She looked out the window to see Rebekah seemingly frozen in place as she held eye contact with her daughter.

"Hope." Matt tried to keep his daughter calm, but he himself was shocked to see his long lost wife so close to them.

Hope jumped out of her seat, Caroline doing nothing to stop her. Both she and Matt followed behind the lilac haired beauty.

She didn't give Rebekah a chance to speak before she was throwing her arms around her. "Mom."

Rebekah slowly wrapped her arms in Hope, closing her eyes with a smile crossing over her features.

"Bex, I don't think this should be happening out in the open with you know who bouncing around." Caroline muttered giving up her façade of human. Obviously Matt was a vampire, nothing she needed to worry about.

"You're right. I can't be here." She pulled away from Hope who felt rejected from her own mother.

"Mom."

"Come to my house. I will give you the address and y'all can continue the reunion there. Klaus can't see you hugging a girl the same age as his daughter." Caroline reasoned.

"Okay." Hope gave a slight nod noticing her father had seemed to have disappeared.

"Where'd dad go?" Hope asked looking around.

"Probably hiding away from me." Rebekah muttered before speeding away to Caroline's house already knowing where it was from Enzo.

"I am so confused." Hope turned to Caroline.

"Yeah, me too. Come on, I guess you don't need my address—just come with me."

And with that they began the short walk to Caroline's house.

Caroline hoping that with a few more vampires, the people she loved wouldn't be hurt.

**Ever since I could remember,**

**Everything inside of me,**

**Just wanted to fit in (oh, oh, oh, oh)**

**I was never one for pretenders,**

**Everything I tried to be,**

**Just wouldn't settle in (oh, oh, oh, oh)**

**If I told you what I was,**

**Would you turn your back on me?**

**And if I seem dangerous,**

**Would you be scared?**

**I get the feeling just because**

**Everything I touch isn't dark enough**

**That this problem lies in me**

**I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,**

**I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.**

**A monster, a monster,**

**I've turned into a monster,**

**A monster, a monster,**

**And it keeps getting stronger.**

**Can I clear my conscience**

**If I'm different from the rest?**

**Do I have to run and hide? (oh, oh, oh, oh)**

**I never said that I want this,**

**This burden came to me,**

**And it's made its home inside (oh, oh, oh, oh)**

**If I told you what I was,**

**Would you turn your back on me?**

**And if I seem dangerous,**

**Would you be scared?**

**I get the feeling just because,**

**Everything I touch isn't dark enough**

**That this problem lies in me**

**I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,**

**I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.**

**A monster, a monster,**

**I've turned into a monster,**

**A monster, a monster,**

**And it keeps getting stronger.**

**I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,**

**I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.**

**A monster, a monster,**

**I've turned into a monster,**

**A monster, a monster,**

**And it keeps getting stronger.**

** By: Imagine Dragons**


	8. Chapter 8: Find My Way Back

**Well, it took me a year, but I did it! I finished this chapter. I can't even begin to explain how sorry I am, but writer's block is a bitch. I have written and rewritten this chapter about five times and got half a page before I deleted it. I lost all inspiration for it and for that I apologize. But, a few days ago out of nowhere I just started typing and I just couldn't stop.**

**I know how I want this story to end, I am just really struggling to get there. I apologize again for this long ass wait and if anyone is still reading this, well then here is chapter eight.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing obviously because there ain't no way in hell I would have written season seven like they. (I am not bitter.)**

**(I am a little bitter.)**

**(Only good thing was Nora and Mary Louise.)**

**(And they killed them ****)**

**Chapter 8: Find My Way Back **

_**On my way now**_

_**Don't give up on me**_

_**And no one knows what**_

_**What tomorrow brings**_

_**These weary eyes will never rest**_

_**Until they look in yours again**_

_**I'm on my way now**_

_**I still believe**_

A month. That is how long it has been since she learned about Stefan—since she had talked to him. Since Rebekah came back and began to help Bonnie and the Saltzmans. Now that they all had been introduced, Bonnie had explained to them Jeremy and his want to be out too. Of course, that changed their feelings on trying to keep Kai in and Kol with him. With Jeremy and Lexi over there and a chance for them to all be reunited, they began to form a plan to kill Kai.

Caroline still didn't agree with it. Of course, it would be great for everyone that had died at the hands of something terrible to come back, but when you die that's it. You aren't supposed to come back.

Isn't there a natural order?

But isn't she technically dead and ruining that natural order?

It all confused her so much.

She was still trying to understand Rebekah's family.

After Rebekah had come back to Caroline's, Hope had given Rebekah a crash course on everything she had missed though knowing her mother tried to keep tabs on most of the things that went on. For Caroline, her eyes were being open to the world around her.

It turned out Hope is a hybrid like Klaus. Born as a werewolf because of her parents, she gained the vampirism of her father effectively becoming the first hybrid of her kind—vampire-witch-werewolf. Her magic she keeps dormant mostly. Though she uses it in life or death situations, she doesn't practice it regularly. She aged normally up until she was about twenty years old which was ten years ago before her body became frozen in time.

She was married to another hybrid, Tyler, who is Matt's best friend. Of course, when Hope met Tyler she had no idea he was the same Tyler that her dad told stories to her about growing up. They had met away at college and Tyler had said he was from up North. It wasn't until they were already dating and Hope brought him home to see her home town—Mystic Falls—did they put it together. They had bonded over both being hybrids, but never discussed how they became it. Tyler never thought she could be related to an Original. That was five years ago. At first, Matt tried his hardest for them to see how absolutely weird it was for them to be together and when he used the age card Hope scoffed and muttered her mother was over a thousand years old which was how Tyler learned he was in love with an Original's child.

(He then fainted.)

After that, Matt learned to come to terms with it. Tyler struggled to see Matt age without him and Matt had to explain that he in fact was a vampire and once he appeared to be seventy, he would revert back.

Tyler is also in his late sixties like Matt should be and apparently Elena.

They all went to high school together back in the sixties.

Hope then gave her mom a very strong pep talk before sending her off to see Matt. Though Rebekah didn't want to derail his life, Hope said it was nearly impossible for her to be in town and them not to speak.

And so Rebekah took a deep breath and left Caroline's. A day later, a twenty-five year old Matt walked in holding hands with a very pleased Rebekah. They covered it up around town by saying Matt was his own son and that sixty-eight year old Matt had gone on a very long vacation.

Of course, Rebekah was very careful knowing her brother had been in town not long before, but they hadn't heard a peep from him since his outburst on Caroline's doorstep and Elijah had assured them he was in New Orleans dealing with his own problems. So they had some wiggle room before he came huffing back.

It was awkward for Caroline and Elena for all about five minutes before they each apologized. Elena said she should have noticed Caroline was a vampire and Caroline said the same. After that, they told each other of how they turned, Elena explained how long Damon and she actually had been together and what it was like to be a teenager during the Woodstock era.

With the everyone being supernatural out in the open, it was much easier for Caroline to explain her feelings for Stefan to Elena and the day before when Elena had asked when had her feelings began to change, Caroline stuttered an I don't know.

She couldn't tell you when it happened. When his thoughts and his feelings began to mean something to her other than what different way he could make her forget about a long day. She would scoff if you said it was in between bouts of sex when he'd ask her where she was from.

She'd shake her head if you said it was during class when she'd smile at him knowing an answer before sometimes even the professor.

Learning Stefan was a vampire isn't what made her care about him—just when she realized she did.

Months of her telling herself she didn't know anything about him became falsehoods that she held on to so she wouldn't be broken. Cause she had been broken before. Her heart shattered by a boy she was sure she loved looked at her in complete terror after she had saved him from a vampire with a bad attitude.

Her heart broken by Klaus being evil and his lust for power was greater than his love for her. She saw how love tore families and broke people. It made Enzo turn his humanity off after losing Maggie, Bonnie almost go insane from the grief of losing Kol—a man who had grown on Caroline more than she'd ever admit to him. Rebekah had to stand beside her brother—who she had every reason to kill if need be—just to make sure the man she loved and her daughter stayed safe.

So why would she ever subject herself to that pain?

Because this pain—the pain of sitting so close to him and not speaking to him was just as bad. Because she sat in the library and could see him studying with that sweet girlfriend of his and she literally thought she was going to go out of her mind.

Because there are so many other things she should be worried about.

Like how quiet Mystic Falls was a lot spookier than she ever believed.

And how Bonnie was sending herself on a suicide mission to save the man she loved and two people she didn't even know.

Or what about the fact just because Klaus had made himself known doesn't mean his threat to hurt Stefan was just as real.

And don't even get her started on Kai.

So she should be worried about the supernatural wreckage being caused all around her and not about the fact to boy she loves—

Loves? No—that wasn't what she meant. Cares greatly. Wants to be around him always and seeing him smile at someone other than her was causing her to want to throw her pencil at him—isn't like it would cause any damage.

But didn't she admit she loved him weeks ago?

It was a moment of weakness. She didn't love him. This was easier if she didn't.

But still, she shouldn't be thinking these things. But she was having a bad day and no she didn't mean she just wanted to have sex with him to forget that today was her mom's birthday—but she just craved him holding her as she cried to him.

And to top it all off, she has an exam tomorrow for her marketing class that she knows she is going to fail because she has read the same damn sentence five times and yet she still finds the need to read it once more.

Or twice more because now Stefan is leaning over to whisper something to his girlfriend.

She needs to learn her name so she doesn't have to keep referring to her as Stefan's girlfriend because that just adds to her utter emotional break down and makes her forget the sentence again.

And she definitely should have picked a better table to study at instead of the one that gives her a clear view of where she wished she was.

Oh who she was kidding? She picked it on purpose because let's be honest, she hasn't been to library in months.

So when said girlfriend reaches over to grasp Stefan's hand and stroke it lovingly Caroline slams her book shut and practically vamp speeds to the bathroom.

* * *

Stefan can literally feel her eyes on him and it is taking everything in him not to run over and tell her everything was going to be okay.

"Why don't you just tell her the truth?" Nora doesn't even look up from her notebook knowing Stefan's stilled movements are coming from blonde behind him.

"Cause that would go over well. Oh yeah, I said I had a girlfriend, but I don't."

"You only did it for my sake."

"Nora, I really don't think Caroline is going to care that the only reason I said it was because you just woke up from a century long coma."

Nora had spiraled into his life only a month ago when she awoke from a coma like state. Her, along with her long-time girlfriend, both witches and vampires. What at first, Stefan was afraid would cause an issue with town, Nora wanted to get a hold on her bloodlust. Mary Louise had run off after assuming Nora wanted time away from her when in reality she just didn't want to hurt people. Nora had begun going to class with Stefan as a shadow student to help her get used to the new century and to make things easier, they decided to say they were dating.

"Or it will make perfect sense to her. I needed someone to be with me at all times to make sure I didn't kill someone with my powers and it was easier to tell people were dating then to try to saw we were cousins or something where I had to change my name. But even if she doesn't understand, it will be a lot easier for you to be around her if she doesn't think you are cheating on me." Nora explained.

Stefan leans in close, "You realize she could be listening to every word we are saying right?"

"She's not because you told me that she respects people's privacy too much to even look through a friend's purse. She definitely isn't going to listen in on our conversation. And you know that." She stated matter-of-factly.

Stefan grumbled at her.

Nora reached over to grab his hand. Stefan winced at the sound of Caroline slamming her book shut before noticing her speed past them to the bathroom. "You have been a great friend to me and I wouldn't trade you for the world. But a war is brewing and I might be new to this whole good guy thing, but I know that if it was up to me, I would want the girl I love by my side."

"I don't love her."

"Okay. The girl you like a lot." She teased though even Nora could see through his denial.

"What about the girl you love?" Stefan shot back not wanting to deal with his own issues.

"We aren't discussing me and Mary Lou. We are discussing you and Caroline." Nora glared at him.

"Well, I am just saying if you are giving me end of the world advice, maybe you should take it."

"Fine. I will think about it, but she is obviously upset Stefan, so I am breaking up with you." Nora smiled.

Stefan sighed knowing it is what he wanted, but still hesitating.

"If you don't go cheer her up, I will, and with my accent I can't promise she will still want you."

Stefan gave a slight laugh standing up. He kissed the top of Nora's head. "You're a better person than you give yourself credit."

"Thank you."

Stefan wasn't sure why he felt nervous as he walked towards the bathroom. She probably assumed he wouldn't follow her and if by some chance she did, he would find the girl's bathroom a reason for him to stop.

Something about him being a gentleman.

Of course the time they ran into each other her months ago after they had gotten into a fight didn't stop her from dragging him into the bathroom and locking the door before anyone else could get in.

He pushed the door already hearing her sniffle and he felt his chest seize. Elena had told him today was her mom's birthday. He should have been here sooner. He should have done this a month ago.

"Caroline." He said locking the door behind him—not sure why she hadn't done that when she came in.

Her sniffling stopped abruptly from behind a stall and part of wondered if she thought if she stayed quiet long enough he'd leave.

"I am not leaving."

"I am fine. Please just go." She whimpered even though all she wanted was to run into his arms.

"No."

He heard her huff and unlock the stall to come face to face with him leaning against the sink counter.

"You really don't need to be here." She whispered.

"I should have been here sooner." He shrugged wanting to step closer to her, but not wanting to make her run away again.

Caroline tried. She really did try to stay aloof and nonchalant. Act like his proximity to her didn't affect her, but with every other thought she saw flashes of her mom on her last birthday and she became more upset. "Today's my mommy's birthday."

She sounded so much like a child as she whimpered the words. She just needed a few minutes of him comforting her then she would ignore him again.

"I know." He sighed reaching for her. She stumbled into his arms as she began to cry into his chest. No longer needing to worry about hurting her with his strength, he held her as tight as she could as she cried. He was rather sure she tried so hard to keep it all together that she just needed to be upset—even for a few minutes.

"And I was doing—doing so well. It is just—I have had a really rough—rough month and she—" She cried through her words and after she sputtered the word she, the rest was gobbled up by another sob.

"She what?" He whispered knowing if she didn't talk through this she'd never get over it.

"Made it—better. Made it seem not so bad."

Her cries became deafening once again and he held her even closer. Stefan couldn't imagine a time when he didn't know Caroline. When his heart didn't break for her. It made no sense to him that he denied himself of caring for her. Why he spent months acting like he didn't know her for so long. She was addicting. Her smell, her smile and the fact she hadn't smiled in over a month made him want to hide her away from the rest of the world. Of course it made so much sense to him why she pushed him away. She had been broken so many times that the idea of him leaving shattered her. He knew about Klaus threatening him and she assumed being away from him meant Klaus would leave him alone.

He held her for only a few minutes and when her cries began to quiet she pulled away. He wanted kiss her. That was stupid, he knew that. It would only scare her and remind her of all the reasons to run away. But as she looked up at her, lip trembling and eyes red from tears, he just wanted to kiss her to make it just a little better.

And when her eyes dropped to his lips, he thought maybe she wanted it to.

Because it had been too long since he had been able to seal his lips with her own and tangle his hands in her curly hair, and with each passing day he felt his need for her grow. He knew if he just felt her lips, he'd be at peace—like coming home from a vacation and just wanting the warmth of your bed.

His hand left her waist to cup her cheek and had to resist the smile when she leaned into it and closed her eyes.

"I miss you." She whispered and he felt his heart soar, but before he could do anything about it, she was completely pulling away from him and turning away to look in the mirror.

He felt cold without her.

"I shouldn't have said that." She muttered, her voice becoming stronger with each second passing.

"Why not?" He sighed returning to leaning against the counter.

"Stefan, it is really unfair to your very nice girl—"

"She's not my girlfriend." He blurted and with that he watched her motions stop briefly and her eyes flare—any lingering traces of sadness ripped away and he was left with betrayal and anger.

"Oh really? Got another brother hiding to say she is his?" She muttered as she began to wipe away her smudged make up. She looked at him in the mirror him still facing the stall. His arms tight across his chest. She hated when he did that. It made his arms look so appealing and then she would begin to think of all the things he had done with those arms and the hands connected to them and make her think about how much she wanted to be back in them.

He looked down at her, trying to find the courage to explain. "She was never my girlfriend. She is a vampire-witch hybrid that woke up from a century long coma. She needed help controlling her bloodlust."

"And saying she was your girlfriend was needed why? It is like you fine reasons to be a complete asshole." She shook her head as she reached around him to snatch a paper towel not believing she allowed herself to feel bad about his "girlfriend".

"I was trying to protect you."

"Protect me? From what, Stefan?" Her voice had begun to rise and she walked away from him to throw her paper towel in the trash (because no breakdown would cause her to be a mess) as well as put space in between them.

He pushed off the counter and stalked towards her. "I thought you were human, Caroline. I thought if I just pushed you away enough you'd move on. I mean, aren't you doing the same thing to me?"

Caroline glared at him and at the same time cursed talking to Elena about it so freely at the boarding house. "That is completely different! Klaus wants to kill you!"

"I am big boy, Caroline. Pretty sure I can protect myself."

"Oh yes. You can definitely win against an Original." She scoffed shaking her head at his confidence. She crossed her arms tight across herself, trying to shield him as though he could see her racing heart, though he could probably hear it.

"Do you really think you not being around is going to stop him from coming after me?"

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?"

"Be with me!" He exploded.

"You know I can't." Her voice sounded so exasperated and broken.

"If Klaus is the only reason you are staying away from me, then you need to find a better one, because how does killing me make Bonnie bring Kol back?"

"He knows she will do it for me." She whispers, her anger leaving her body once again.

"Yeah and him being in love with you has nothing to do with wanting me out of the picture." He muttered.

"I don't give two shits about Klaus' feelings for me."

His anger was making him want to rip the door off its hinges and throw it.

He knew from past indiscretions with Caroline that the bathroom had thick walls and he was pretty sure was sound proof, so he didn't care how loud he was.

"And what about my feelings for you?" He roared. "What about what I want? What I need?"

"And what is that, Stefan?" Her voice matching his.

"You! God, don't you get it? If he is going to come for me, he can. I can deal with him, but that won't stop him from hurting you! I can't just keep walking around acting like your wellbeing doesn't matter to me. What am I supposed to do without you?"

"Why now? Why are you trying now, Stefan?" She asked, more like begged for his reason and before he knew it—he was yelling:

"Because I love you, okay?"

Her silence shocked him. He didn't mean to say that. He didn't even realize he felt those words—not enough to say them, but as he heard her breath hitch and her eyes widen, he realized he did.

He loved Caroline Forbes and he'd be damned if someone was going to ruin that feeling for him.

He needed to explain himself, tell her that she didn't need to say it back. That she didn't need to say anything because how could she love him? How could someone like her love him?

But he never got a chance to voice these thoughts because before he knew it, she was jumping into his arms and crashing her lips onto his.

And he was right, kissing Caroline Forbes was like coming home.

**One step closer**

**Closer to the light**

**No matter where we're going**

**I'll be by your side**

**And everything we used to know**

**Crashed into the great unknown**

**One step closer**

**We're gonna be alright**

**Cause even underneath the waves**

**I'll be holding on to you**

**And even if you slip away**

**I'll be there to fall into the dark**

**To chase your heart**

**No distance could ever tear us apart**

**There's nothing that I wouldn't do**

**I'll find my way back to you**

**On my way now**

**Don't give up on me**

**And no one knows what**

**What tomorrow brings**

**These weary eyes will never rest**

**Until they look in yours again**

**I'm on my way now**

**I still believe**

**Cause even underneath the waves**

**I'll be holding on to you**

**And even if you slip away**

**I'll be there to fall into the dark**

**To chase your heart**

**No distance could ever tear us apart**

**There's nothing that I wouldn't do**

**I'll find my way back to you**

**I'll find my way back to you**

**I'll find my way back**

**Into the dark to chase your heart**

**No distance could ever tear us apart**

**There's nothing that I wouldn't do**

**I'll find my way back to you**

**There's nothing that I wouldn't do**

**I'll find my way back to you**

**I'll find my way back to you**

**I'll find my way back**

**By: Eric Arjes**

**a/n: So obviously when I introduced the "girlfriend" it wasn't Nora because we didn't know Nora then. But after watching season 7, I really wanted to add Nora and Mary Louise. They won't play huge parts in it and how they came to be is different. In this story, Lily isn't around. So just Mary Louise and Nora. **

**Also, hearing this song really gives me inspiration to write Steroline. **

**Okay, I will stop now.**

**Please review and tell me what y'all think because your opinion matters so much to me!**


	9. Chapter 9: Somebody To Die For

**A/N: Here is chapter 9. So there should be only like five chapters left—I think. It might be a few weeks until I update again because I am moving in two weeks.**

**This is a short chapter.**

**By the way, I am sorry for what you are about to be read.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Somebody To Die For**

**I've got nothing left to live for**

**Got no reason yet to die**

**But when I'm standing in the gallows**

**I'll be staring at the sky**

**Because no matter where they take me**

**Death I will survive**

**And I will never be forgotten**

**With you by my side**

"You have got to be kidding me?" Caroline snarled as she looked around the group in the Salvatore living room.

"Caro—" Elena started.

"No. You have to literally be kidding, because there is no way that after two months of planning, y'all have come up with them touching Bonnie and coming through." Caroline had stood by this point and began to pace.

Bonnie was her family—her sister—and they just wanted to throw her to the wolves. They weren't taking into account all of the terrible things that could happen. Bonnie could be stuck there, the magic could kill her.

"It is the only plan we have." Bonnie sighed. She knew this was going to happen. She tried to explain that Jo when she suggested it. There was no way Caroline and Enzo were going to agree with something that put her in danger.

"Well your plan sucks, Bonnie." Caroline spat at her faux sister like she had done so many times ever since Bonnie came to live with her when they were eight.

"How, Barbie?" Damon muttered not in the mood for Caroline. She didn't have anyone over there to save, so of course she would be the least accepting.

It wasn't that he didn't like Caroline—he did. Even Damon could see the difference in Stefan the last month. His drinking had all but diminished and he didn't sulk around the house anymore.

"Because didn't y'all say that Kai gets power from siphoning other witches and supernatural beings like Nora can?" Caroline's finger thrusted to the brunette who was leaning against the door frame.

Caroline and Nora had actually become friends in the month since Caroline and Stefan had officially gotten together. Nora was happy to have another female to talk about Mary Louise and Caroline being the matchmaker was hell-bent on getting them back together.

So she asked Enzo to find Mary Louise which was the only reason he was not present at this meeting. A meeting she knew he would be just as pissed with as she was. She might have only known Enzo for a decade, but they should already know that Caroline thought just like he did, and this decision would not be okay with him.

"So if Kol, Jeremy, and Lexi are going to get out from touching Bonnie—which will cause her immense amounts of pain—then Kai can touch her. But what if when he touches her instead of going through, he siphons her power away, gets himself through, and Bonnie is stuck on the other side?" Caroline breathed heavily—everything coming out in one frantic breath.

"You can't get to the other side, can you?" She glared at Jo.

"No." Jo sighed. Jo knew Caroline was right in her points, but it didn't change the hope in wanting to help.

She had hoped even Luke was over there, but Bonnie had explained that if his death was done at a time where he had nothing left to finish, he would have already be taken out of the other side. Jeremy had explained to Bonnie that Luke had been gone before he was even killed.

"Exactly. You tried to contact Kol and you couldn't. So if Bonnie is the only one then there will be no way to get her out. How are y'all okay with that? Because I am not and I know Enzo won't be."

"Because we could get our family back." Elena tried to reason.

"And in doing so, I could possibly lose mine." Caroline could feel tears began to burn her eyes.

She couldn't lose Bonnie. Bonnie was her constant. She had been for twenty years. The idea of not seeing her every day—that would be her last straw—no one would be able to bring her back after that—not even Stefan.

"Care," Bonnie sighed standing up to close the distance between her and her best friend.

Bonnie wrapped her arms around Caroline. "You aren't going to lose me."

"I could."

"I can make sure Kai goes through. Without me, he can't even pass even with my power. So if Kai shows up, he will go through, and they will kill him. After that the other side will no longer be accessed. I will be sure of it."

Caroline knew Bonnie was just saying what Caroline needed to hear. She had been by her side way too long to know the difference. Bonnie would skew the truth to help calm Caroline down—especially after her transition.

"I have to get Kol back."

Caroline took in a shaky breath knowing what Bonnie was trying to say. If it was Stefan, and Caroline had the power to get him back—she would. Instantly.

Caroline glance over Bonnie to see Stefan sitting quietly on the sofa. She knew the thoughts of Lexi had been plaguing his mind and though he knew it Bonnie at risk, he wanted the opportunity to have his best friend back.

It had been a lonely fifty years without her.

"I'm not asking you to accept it. I am just asking you to respect it."

Caroline nodded at Bonnie's words.

"And Klaus?"

"What about Klaus?" Matt piped up feeling Rebekah tense beside him.

"Rebekah, you know he doesn't want Kol back out of the goodness of his heart. There has to be a reason." Other than Rebekah, Caroline was the only one in the room to know Klaus on a personal level. She knew exactly what made him tick—sometimes before he knew.

"I think I have an idea to that." Hope raised her hand as she said it—everyone's attention turning to lilac haired hybrid.

"So, like a month before Uncle Kol died, we accidently ran into each other." She started and even Tyler looked surprised.

"What?"

"He told me that he had been looking for me because he had been told that one of Klaus' associates figured out I was in fact a Mikaelson."

There was slight commotion around the room. Of course, other than Tyler, not many made the connection of who Hope was. Rebekah was already gone by the time the Salvatores had moved back to town and the Saltzmans weren't well versed in the Originals recent history. Since Rebekah returned and it came out that Matt wasn't old, everything was explained.

"How?" Rebekah stuttered feeling her heart seize and she reached over to grip Matt's hand tightly.

"A vampire attacked me and I used magic on them."

"Why would that tip them off?" Nora asked. She was still trying to acclimate to the century she woke up in as well as the surrounding people.

"Because my eyes had turned gold. How many hybrids do you know that can do magic?"

"Fuck." Matt muttered.

"What?"

"Klaus wants more hybrids and now he knows Hope is his—he wants her to give him the blood to do it." Rebekah explained.

"Where does Kol come into this?" Bonnie asked confused not even realizing Kol had known about Hope—she didn't even know.

"He thinks if he helps stop Kai and gets Kol out, then we will be indebted to him." Rebekah said slowly.

"He's fucking insane if her honestly thinks I am going to allow him anywhere near her." Tyler exploded—still the hot head he had been in his early years.

Klaus had turned him into a hybrid fifty years ago—ten years after triggering his werewolf curse—and ten more years before Rebekah met Matt. It is some form of twisted, ironic fate that he ended up falling with the hateful man who made him this way's daughter.

"Calm down, Lockwood." Hope muttered at her husband. Hope and Tyler had been rather antagonistic towards each other when they first met—Hope was her mother's daughter—and she rarely called him by Tyler. It had become such a habit to call him Lockwood, it had become her own sort of pet name for him.

"So not only are we having to worry about Kai, but also Klaus." Jo said slowly.

"Seems like it. It is only a matter of time before Klaus shows up and isn't like we can kill him." Bonnie sighed.

Rebekah and Caroline simultaneously tensed at the topic of Klaus being killed. They both had been burned by him so many times, and Rebekah had every reason to want him dead.

But he was still her brother. Even if she wanted him dead, she could never have a hand in doing the deed.

Same for Caroline. She had once loved him, and that love had fizzled so quickly after meeting Stefan that she can't even remember what it felt like. But she did love him once, and the piece of her that knows she did could never fathom the idea of being the one to end his life.

She just hoped Stefan understood that, but from his spot on the couch and his confused glance at her tense posture, it told her he wasn't going to.

* * *

"Do you still love him?" Caroline had barely closed the door to Stefan's room before the words were spewing out of his mouth.

"You are not seriously asking me that?"

"I saw you down there. I watched you react when they talked about killing him."

"Stefan, I do not love him. Yes, I did at one point, but god, what I felt for him doesn't even come close to what I feel for you." Caroline reached for his hands, wanting to feel the warmth of his rough hands. All day, everyone was going back and forth and she just wanted to relax.

"Then why are you so hesitant for him to be stopped?"

"Look, I know we can't kill him. It would kill most of us here, but I know we can put a stop to him and I know it is needed. I don't love him, but I once did. I knew a piece of him no one else knew and though that part of him hasn't been seen in some time, I just can't be the person that does it. Does that make sense?"

"No."

She huffed. "What about Katherine? You loved her once, right?" Caroline knew she had him because she knew all about the terrible things Katherine had done. "And when she died, you no longer were in love, and she deserved to die, but you couldn't be the one to do it."

Stefan sighed and held her face between his hands. "I get it."

Caroline gave a small smile. "I love you."

For something that took her so long to admit, she was so quick to tell him now. It seemed so effortless and made her insides squirm with excitement when he smiled back at her.

"I love you too."

His lips captured hers and she couldn't help the sigh that emitted her lips. She had missed him. A day or arguing with everyone was so tiring and all she wanted was a few hours with just him.

"Let's go out." Stefan suggested once they pulled away from each other.

Caroline raised a blond eyebrow. "Out?"

"I have never taken you on a date and the world could end tomorrow."

Caroline grinned. "I would love a date."

"Good. Be ready in an hour." He gave her a quick kiss before stepping out of the room.

* * *

Caroline stood on the curb waiting for Stefan to close up Mystic Grill with the biggest grin on her face. Their date had been perfect between the walk around town and the fancy dinner Stefan splurged on. He had Matt close the grill hours early and paid for the place to be just them and cooked them an extravagant meal. He had even given her flowers he plucked from Elena's garden.

She felt like she was walking on a cloud, but it instantly evaporated and she was thrown back down to Earth when she saw him. She felt her veins freeze and fear ignited in her belly at the sight of her ex-boyfriend crossing the street to her.

She looked around, thankful it was one in the morning and no one was around—all the shops closed up.

"Caroline," he grinned when he stopped in front of her.

Something about his smile scared her and she prayed with everything in her that Stefan stayed in the restaurant.

"What do you want?"

"To help you get my brother, of course." He shrugged and his words came across more as a threat.

"And that has nothing to do with your hybrids?" She shouldn't have said that. She knew it the second the words left her mouth.

His eyes narrowed in on her. "I am just getting what is rightfully mine."

It was a threat to Hope, to Rebekah. She lost it. Everything angry thought she had ever had towards the hybrid in front of came out of her mouth so fast, she didn't even have time to regret it.

"And you honestly think any of us are going to give it to you? You think Kol would ever be okay with it? God, you are still the same psychopath you have always been. You will never change. All you do is hurt people. You ever think that maybe if you actually got to know the world around you and the people in it, you might have the family and army you always wanted? You wouldn't have to sire them to like you."

His silence was deafening and she felt the urge to apologize come to the front of her mind.

_Calm him down or he is going to hurt someone_.

Caroline felt her heart race as fast as it could and it happened before she knew it.

Stefan walked through the door, halfway through explaining what his plan was for tomorrow and the key in the door, when Klaus was on him—his hand in chest.

Caroline's world became the size as a pin hole as she watched the love her life began to cease to exist. Her strangled cry as Klaus' hand released Stefan's kind heart to the ground pierced her fog.

Her purse clattered to the ground and the left-over food splattered on to her heels.

"There, now you have someone on the other side." Klaus muttered before he sped away.

It was no use to yell for help. She knew that. But as she fell to her knees and pulled his head into her lap, she continued to cry for someone to help her.

"Baby, you can't be gone." She cried rocking him as his face began to turn gray.

She didn't even get to say goodbye. They were supposed to have forever together. That's what being a vampire meant. You didn't have to age.

"I can't do this without you." She leaned over his body, blood darkening her golden hair.

You don't have to. All she had to do was turn it off and this pain she felt again, would cease to exist. Could she handle another death? Or the grieving of losing the love of her life?

Or what if she lost Bonnie? Could she handle that on top of this?

Enzo?

She wasn't strong enough for this.

So without thinking of the repercussions—she turned it off.

And the tears stopped instantly.

And she felt lighter than air.

**I could drag you from the ocean,  
****I could pull you from the fire  
****And when you're standing in the shadows  
****I could open up the sky  
****And I could give you my devotion  
****Until the end of time  
****And you will never be forgotten  
****With me by your side**

**And I don't need this life  
****I just need…**

**I've got nothing left to live for  
****Got no reason yet to die  
****But when I'm standing in the gallows  
****I'll be staring at the sky  
****Because no matter where they take me  
****Death I will survive  
****And I will never be forgotten  
****With you by my side**

**Cause I don't need this life  
****I just need…**

**Somebody to die for  
****Somebody to cry for  
****When I'm lonely  
**

**When I'm standing in the fire  
****I will look him in the eye  
****And I will let the devil know that  
****I was brave enough to die  
****And there's no hell that he can show me  
****That's deeper than my pride  
****Cause I will never be forgotten  
****Forever I'll fight**

**And I don't need this life  
****I just need…**

**Somebody to die for  
****Somebody to cry for  
****When I'm lonely  
**

**And I don't need this life  
****I just need…**

**Somebody to die for  
****Somebody to cry for  
****When I'm lonely**

**Don't go gentle into that good night  
****Rage on against the dying light**

**By: Hurts**

**Please Review!**


End file.
